


Am I Safe?

by summerlove_jls



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Bucky Barnes Feels, F/M, M/M, Not Iron Man 3 Compliant, Not Thor: The Dark World Compliant, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Protective Hela, References to Torture, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, aftermath of suicide (attempt), bending mythology to my will, reference to past mpreg, reference to suicide attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-05
Updated: 2014-12-01
Packaged: 2018-02-24 04:59:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2569058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerlove_jls/pseuds/summerlove_jls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“That’s a very important question to be asked.”  Loki told his daughter and they gazed at her soul mark.  “What will the answer be?”</p><p>“Of course the answer will be ‘yes’, Papa.”  Hela said, shaking her head.</p><p>“How do you know the answer will be ‘yes’?”  He asked her.  </p><p>She did not have an answer for him, instead she looked to him, questioningly.  </p><p>“You must begin working, harder than you have been, so that you will know the answer to this question when it is asked of you.”</p><p>“The answer is as important as the question.”  Hela replied as confirmation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ice and Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1999119) by [SteeleHoltingOn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteeleHoltingOn/pseuds/SteeleHoltingOn). 
  * Inspired by [Breaking (Saving) You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2425625) by [Rainne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainne/pseuds/Rainne). 



> A one-shot for your reading enjoyment. Actually no longer a one-shot...another chapter will be coming very soon. Don’t know where this came from and a totally off the wall pairing. I was indulging in soulmate fics this past week or so and got some crazy ideas…ideas that keep interfering with writing of my other works…especially since I ship my various versions of Hela with Bruce Banner. As will see in this story, Hela is not ruler of Helheim. 
> 
> Trigger Warnings: Reference to suicide attempt is Loki’s at the end of Thor. Aftermath of suicide tag is for the aftermath of said incident at the end of Thor.
> 
> This story is post Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but totally disregards Thor: The Dark World (it never happened).
> 
> The “Am I safe” theme is inspired by Ice and Fire by SteeleHoltingOn; specifically the middle to end of Chapter 18. (Ugh…that part got me right in the feels) While not a soulmate fic per say, it is an awesome story.
> 
> Also, the concept of soulmates being able break the programming comes from Breaking (Saving) You by Rainne. Another excellent story.  
> Both are full of Bucky feels.

Hela was seated on the floor and against the wall of an unused warehouse.  She didn't know what she was doing on Midgard but figured she would lay low for a bit and decide her next move.  She knew her shielding had slipped when she entered the realm, but quickly concealed herself again from Heimdall’s view.  She needed some down time before she tried to assimilate into the masses of Midgard.  Would the populous recognize her resemblance to the being that tried to subjugate the realm?  Would they see Loki reflected in her inky black hair, green eyes sharp cheekbones and pale complexion or would she be able to blend into the crowd as Midgardians went about their lives?

In her travels she heard rumors about Thanos and how deep his control over his “allies” ran so when she had heard about her father’s attempt to take control of Midgard she knew something was amiss.  She was instructed in the art of diplomacy and manipulation from an early age.  If her father wanted control of a realm, he certainly would not open a bottle necked portal in a populated area after pissing off the most powerful beings of the realm.  She wondered if Thor lifted his pretended veil of stupidity long enough to recognize a rather large shift in tactics from what her father usually used.  Whether he did or not really didn’t seem to matter; Odin still had Loki imprisoned in Asgard’s dungeons or so she heard.  She hadn't been in Asgard since about 2 months after her father committed suicide or attempted to commit suicide. 

There wasn’t really anything in Asgard for her anymore and she could not stand the hushed gossip about the fallen prince that was her father.  Packing light and armed with the lessons her father had taught her and the powerful magic she inherited from him, she left Asgard and traveled the galaxy, exploring and just trying to find a new path for her life.  While Midgard may have had minimal to no contact with the other realms, big news of Midgard traveled to a variety of areas.  She had heard of the Chitauri invasion and her father’s capture.  And that was a startling surprise; to hear of her father’s survival over a year after his supposed death.  She couldn't bring herself to return to Asgard, though.  She missed her grandmother and even Thor a little.  She didn’t know if she could face her father after he left her behind.  She would have taken care of him.  They could have left Asgard together, they could have stayed and she would have helped him pick up the pieces.  She had worked hard to be the person who could do that for someone.  It was certainly her imagination, but her soul mark burned when her father chose to die instead of coming back for her.  It burned those two months she wandered through existence on Asgard before she left. 

Soul marks for beings across the nine realms appeared at different times in life; Hela’s appeared in early adolescence.  Her handmaiden helping her dress the morning hers appeared noticed it and called for Hela’s father.  The handmaiden was dismissed to continue with her duties as Loki got a mirror so Hela could see the hastily written question that marked the first words her soul mate would speak to her:   _‘Am I safe?’_

 

_“That’s a very important question to be asked.”  Loki told his daughter and they gazed at her soul mark.  “What will the answer be?”_

_“Of course the answer will be ‘yes’, Papa.”  Hela said, shaking her head._

_“How do you know the answer will be ‘yes’?”  He asked her._

_She did not have an answer for him, instead she looked to him, questioningly._

_“You must begin working, harder than you have been, so that you will know the answer to this question when it is asked of you.”_

_“The answer is as important as the question.”  Hela replied as confirmation._

 

Hela had continued her regular studies and her magic instruction.  But Loki trained his daughter as a warrior as well; not a warrior in the style of Sif but in the style of himself.  Hela trained in subterfuge and stratagem tactics, use of her magic in combat as well as small weapons.  Hela became versed in the healing arts that were practiced in Asgard.  She was sent to Alfheim to study the healing of the mind that was not practiced as widely in Asgard.  By the time she reached the age of majority, her father had equipped her well.  But he didn’t use her talents for himself when he was in the most need and hurting and that was hard for Hela to forgive. 

Hela was pulled from her reflection by a noise coming from one of the two exits of the warehouse.  A figure slipped into the warehouse and stealthily moved throughout the area, reconnaissance apparent.  Hela stayed still but did not try to hide.  She watched the figure as he approached.  She appeared unassuming; wearing a long sleeved tunic and black trousers that she conjured in a Midgardian style and her black boots that she left Asgard wearing.  She had one of the furs from her father’s sitting room in Asgard pooled across her legs.  She didn’t really need it for warmth.  It was more for the comfort, for the reminder of what was once home.

As the soldier got closer she could see that he appeared slightly older than her (though she knew she had more years of life than him).  He had brown hair that came to his shoulders.  Shivers racked his body.  He was wearing dark pants and boots and a sweatshirt.  She could see that one of his hands was flesh and the other was a silver metal that caught the light periodically.  Though he hadn’t made eye contact with her yet, she could see the haunted look in his face and exhaustion that tainted his very being.  He had a knife drawn in his flesh hand as he methodically checked the warehouse for threats.

Finally, he was within range and his eyes caught what was out of place.  He froze as his eyes tracked over Hela as she sat against the wall.  He made eye contact and Hela held his gaze.  She had her hands open and out so that she did not appear to be a threat, knowing full well that she didn’t need a weapon in her hand to be a threat or defend herself.  The facial expressions indicative of the war raging in his mind were minute and would have been missed by the casual observer.  Hela could see the lost soul break out and peer at her before being absorbed by wintery chill of the soldier.  After a full body shiver rolled through him, the lost soul emerged and spoke when the soldier would not…a broken plea, a question.  “Am I safe?”

Hela’s heart skipped a beat.  She inhaled deeply, remembering her father’s words from long ago.

“You are safe with me.  My name is Hela and I have an extra blanket, if you have need of it.”

 

The man’s eyes squinted as he looked at her and thought.  Confusion marred his face.  The soldier had not returned yet.

“Those…those are my words.”  His metal hand rubbed the inside of the opposite bicep.  Hela assumed this was where his soul mark was.    

“They tried to make my words go away, but my words kept coming back.”  The expression on his face evened out somewhat as the soldier came forth and the lost soul retreated back to safety.  There was a few moments of silence and then, “You are not a threat.”  It was a statement more than a question.

“I’m not a threat to you.”  She replied.  She did not move but added, “I have words also; they’re on my shoulder.  Would you like me to show you?”

The soldier thought for a moment and then gave a stiff nod.  “Slowly.” He added.

Hela kept her hands out and as she twisted around.  She moved her hair to the side and pulled the collar of her shirt so that her shoulder blade was exposed and he could see his first words to her emblazoned on her skin.

The whimper of the lost soul was barely audible.  She turned around and looked at him with kind eyes.  “Do you have a name?”

He looked away from her as he thought.  He stared off to the side, eyes moving unseeingly back and forth and his mind searched for the answer.  He refocused on her, “I think my name is James.”  He kept his eye contact as he tried to explain things.  “There was a man on the bridge that I knew.”  He said to her.  She nodded her head to encourage him to keep talking.

“I know you.”  He shook his head.  “I know your words…my words.”  He rubbed his arm again.  “Your words would come back.”  He shivered again.

“James, if you sit beside me you can see both exits and the whole of the warehouse.  I did reconnaissance before you entered.  I have been keeping watch.”  She held up the fur in offering.

The soldier considered her.  “You are not a threat.”

“You are safe with me.  I am skilled.  I can help.”

“Soulmates can potentially break programming; jeopardize missions.  Soulmates are a threat to the objectives of the Soviet State.  Soulmates are a threat to the objectives of Hydra.  They tried to make your words go away.  The Asset has no soulmate.  Your words would come back.”

“I’m here now.  They cannot make me go away.  Come James, sit with me.”

A soft keening and the lost soul gazed at her.  “I don’t want to be cold.”

“Come James, let me warm you.  It’s time for you to rest.  Let me keep you safe.”

The knife was sheathed and the lost soul maneuvered so that he was seated next to Hela, leaning against the wall.  Hela pulled the fur up and tucked it around James.  He shivered and leaned into her. 

She heard him whisper, “Soulmates can break programming.  The Assset has no soulmate.”

She leaned into him and said low, “I am your soulmate James and I will not let anyone hurt you, anymore.”  She slid her arms slowly around him.  She knew this was truth.  She had to skills and abilities to accomplish this.  Even without knowing what would be needed, Loki had ensured it.  She sent a simple warming spell into James’s body and felt him relax as he stopped shivering.  She threw up a protective shield around them after she expanded the concealment spell to include him. 

He dipped his head to speak softly into her ear.  She recognized the cadence of the soldier’s voice. “I am your soulmate, Hela, and I will not let anyone hurt you, either.”  He kissed her temple and closed his eyes to rest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have decided to continue this. Thanks for the comments and all of the kudos, subscriptions and bookmarks it really helped to motivate me and I have a lot of ideas for this story. I don't know if all the chapters will be this long, but there was a lot I wanted to cover in this chapter to lay some foundation. I've also changed the rating for this story because there will be eventual sexy times....not this chapter though.
> 
> If you want to see what my lost soul Bucky looks like...search YouTube for "hydra tortures Bucky"...it should be the first video that pops up (that's the title). Watch Bucky's face when Pierce is talking to him.

Thor touched down on the landing pad atop Stark Tower.  He was returning after spending a few days in Asgard.  Tony Stark had opened up his palatial home to his fellow Avengers.  Thor was pleased when Stark had extended the invitation to his Lady Jane also.  He gifted her with space to work similar to the labs that Stark and Banner worked in.  His lady often traveled in her quest for knowledge, but he was glad he was able to be with both her and his new shield-brethren.

He had heard interesting but not distressing news about his niece when he returned to Asgard.  Heimdall had reported to the family that he briefly caught glimpse of Hela appearing on Midgard.  She quickly concealed herself and Heimdall lost sight of her and could not say if she was still in the realm or not.  Thor was not going to tell his team about this until there was reason to do so.  Any mentions of Loki, even indirectly, was sure to bring ill feelings.  Thor had tried to explain to the team that Loki’s actions were highly uncharacteristic; but without Loki admitting to being coerced or worse, it was hard to argue against his actions.  There was no need to drag Hela into this mess.  Hela had been gone from Asgard for 2 years now.  She had no contact with her family, including Loki.  Others had given word when they saw her or heard about her traveling through their areas, but she did not stay in one place for very long.  The family knew she was alive, but not if she was well.  It was difficult telling Loki of Hela’s departure when they returned to Asgard after the invasion.  He lashed out and blamed Thor and their father for her leaving.  Thor wasn’t stupid, he knew Loki blamed himself; so he didn’t take the bait and accelerate this into a shouting match between the two.  He made it a point to tell Loki when they heard news of Hela.  He had told Loki about the sighting on Midgard; he couldn’t hide his quizzical look when he heard of the location.  He told Loki that he would return to Midgard and would send word if he encountered her. 

When Thor entered the Tower, Stark’s body-less servant informed him that his team was meeting in their conference room and they would like him to join.

He made his way to the conference room on the common floor.  The Captain had returned from the peril that occurred in the capital of this country. 

“Hey Thor, welcome back.  We were just about to start.”  The Captain greeted him.

“Thank you Captain, it is good to be back here.”  Thor took a seat and prepared to listen to the briefing the Captain was about to give. 

The Captain…no Steve, explained about coming upon his friend he thought had perished long ago.  Thor knew the feelings of the Captain.  He came searching for Loki, thought lost to the Abyss, once Heimdall caught sight of him on Midgard after he had taken the Tesseract.  Thor knew the determination evident in Steve’s face; he had lived it.  He readily agreed with the others to help Steve tracked down his friend who had been captured by the enemy and tortured until he was a tool for their nefarious deeds.  With what Thor suspected, this was a quest very close to his own heart.

It was also the Captain’s mission to eradicate this Hydra that was responsible for the destruction of SHIELD and the tortures that had befallen his friend.  Thor was game for that as well.

Tony Stark had been using his technological resources to search for Barnes’s face if it had been captured on the cameras dispersed throughout the realm.  It was important to find Barnes before the Hydra found him and enacted their tortures on him again.

Stark shared that they had seen Barnes on camera at a museum that had commemorated the Captain’s heroics along with him comrades from long ago.  There was a monument to Barnes there was well, honoring the life he was believed to have given while serving with the Captain.

Rogers believed that his friend was breaking this programming that was forced upon him.  He had pulled Rogers from a river after they had plummeted from one of the mighty air ships destroyed in the earlier battle.

He would help Rogers bring back his friend.  He knew the pain behind the Captain’s mask of determination and he would lend his talents to this task.

 

* * *

 

Hela had sent another warming spell into James when the first one had worn off and his body began shivering again.  She had also used a calming spell to ease him when a violent nightmare caused him to thrash against her.  When he settled, she pulled him in close and hummed the melody to a song Frigga used to sing as she wove in her sitting room.  Hela could feel the strange pull that made her want to draw closer to the human in her arms.  Something horrific had happened to him; something that caused him to be unsure of even his name.  They would need to find out what had happened in order to figure out how to help and heal the broken man in her arms.  At least now she knew what was pulling her to come to Midgard.  She drifted back into an uneasy sleep.

Hela woke to James tucking the hair out of her face, she smiled up at him. 

“Good morrow.”  She said.

He nodded his head.  He looked around the warehouse as they stood.  The first light of dawn was streaming through the windows near the ceiling.

“We need to change locations.”  He said.  The soldier inflection was distinctive.  Hela was not sure if she was dealing with two different people or one person at war with different aspects of themselves in their mind.  Hela had seen a body with 2 consciousness in it during her studies of mind healing on Alfheim.  The second consciousness had awoken when the person had suffered great trauma while a prisoner of the dark elves of Svartálfaheim. 

“Is someone pursuing you?”  She asked him. 

“I have broken protocol and have not returned to ‘operations and storage’; I have not given a mission report.”  James responded

Hela nodded her head.  “They’re trying to retrieve you?”  James nodded.  “Who?”  She asked.

“Hydra.”  He answered.

He had mentioned this Hydra before when the discovery of their soul mate bond was made.  An organization, she thought.  She deduced that these were the people who tried to remove his soul mate mark.  These people are the ones who have hurt her soul mate. 

“Was the man on the bridge a part of Hydra?”  She asked.

James physically recoiled.  “No.”  He said emphatically.  “He was my mission.”

“You were to slay him?”  Hela asked.

“Yes”

“But you realized that you knew him.”  She asked.

“Yes.”

“Then we must find information about this Hydra so that we may avoid their hunting campaign.”  She replied.

“Your manner of speaking is odd.”  James said quizzically.

Hela paused for a moment in thought.  “I am not from this realm, James.  I am of Asgard.”  She said as though this would explain everything.

There was no comment from James for a few moments.  “Asgard…like the man with the hammer?”  He asked.

“You know of Thor?” She asked in response.

“Thor, Prince of Asgard, known associate of Captain America, considered hostile to the objectives of Hydra.”  He responded in a rote way. 

“Captain America?  The Midgardian warrior with the shield?”

James nodded his head.  “The man from the bridge.”

“You think you knew this Captain America?”  He asked.

“Yes.”

Hela nodded her head.  “I am from the same realm of Thor.  Thor….Thor is my uncle.”  She said soberly. 

James gave a quick nod in acknowledgement.

“I arrived here yesterday.  I have not had a chance to assimilate yet or obtain currency of this realm.  I think I was pulled to come to this realm to find you.”

“Pull?”  James thought for a moment and then nodded his head, “There is a pull towards you.”

“You feel a pull towards me too?”  She asked

James got a confused look on his face and shook his head back and forth.  “No.  No.  The Asset does not feel.”

Hela put her hands on his shoulders to stop his movements.  “It’s okay.”  She carded her fingers through his hair and he let out a pained whimper, but he stopped shaking his head.  She pulled his head down to her shoulder.  She was only 3 or 4 inches shorter than him so she was able to comfortably hold him there.  She continued to card her fingers through is hair; it needed to be washed.  She doubted that he had been taking care of himself since he was being hunted.  That would change.  She wondered when the last time he had eaten was.

He relaxed into her and tentatively brought his arms up around her, holding her in place.

She slid her hand from his hair and down his back, bringing her other hand to meet it and squeezed him tight.  “We’re going to figure this out; I’m going to help you.”  He felt him nod his head on her shoulder. 

He straighten back up and they broke apart their embrace. 

“We need to find sustenance.  Also, tell me, do they have libraries on Midgard?”  She asked.

He looked at her and thought.  “There is a library nearby.”

“Good.  Do you know when you have eaten last?”  She asked him.

He looked at her confused and shook his head.

“Alright.  So, we find an establishment to procure a meal.  I saw several on my journey to this storehouse.  Do you have any currency?”

James pulled open a zipper on one of the pockets of his pants and pulled a stack of bills out.  “I took this from a Hydra safe house along with the supplies in my pack.”

Hela grinned.  “Most excellent!”

Hela began folding up the blanket they were using and sent it into the astral pocket that she used to store the belonging she traveled with. 

James stared at the scene with wide eyes.  She smirked and brought the blanket back and sent it away again.  “I have a lot of skills in sorcery and magic.  This is merely storing something away.  I can use magic in combat as well as my fighting skills and I can use healing magic.  I can teleport and travel the space between worlds.”

“You’re a soldier?”  James asked.

“I can be, if necessary.”  She replied.

He nodded his head.  “Good.”

They left the warehouse and sought out a diner nearby.  They both stared at the menu, unsure of what the items were.  Hela had been used to traveling to unfamiliar places and adapting so when the serving maid came to take their order, she asked for whatever was recommended for a first time patron of this establishment.  She brought them each a platter with a stack of sweetened flat breads and breakfast meats as well as potatoes that had been fried.  Hela partook of juice from oranges and James ordered a beverage named coffee.    

When the finished their meal they left the diner and James led her to the library that he mentioned.  The building looked impressive from the outside; the engraving at the top of the building proclaimed this be the Enoch Pratt Free Library.  Hela was hopeful they would find the information they needed.  She looked at their appearance; they looked like slightly disheveled Midgardians.  They would have to correct that if they wanted to blend in more.  She cast a spell over the two of them so their armaments would not be detected by the primitive devices located around the entrance.

They walked in and looked around.  The technology was primitive by Asgardian standards but Hela was been using technology at various stages of advancement for the past 2 years.  They sat at one of the workstations.  There was only one selection on the screen, so she clicked on it.  The screen change to an informative page about the library.  In the upper right hand corner of the screen was the word ‘search’ and a space to input information.  She used the clicking device to select that box and entered the term ‘Hydra’.  The screen changed again and brought up a variety of articles about Hydra.  Hela began clicking and reading the articles while James watched and read over her shoulder.  They both seemed to read at an equal high rate of speed so they were able to get through a great deal of articles quickly.  It would seem that this Hydra organization had infiltrated the SHIELD that protects the world.  Their treachery was discovered and culminated in a huge battle that took place not far from the location where they were.  It also appeared that a lot of information about the SHIELD and Hydra had been open for the public to view. 

Hela then entered the term ‘Captain America’ in the search box.  One of the articles that was listed was about a museum exhibition commemorating the heroics of Captain America.

“There.”  James said.  “I went there.  There were pictures.  That’s why I think…I know my name is James.”

Hela explored the information about the museum exhibit.  There was a picture of James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes. 

“They thought you were dead.”  Hela stated more than questioned.

“Hydra found me.”  He replied.  “The man on the bridge...his name is Steve

“You were Captain America’s friend.”  She said. 

Hela combined searches for ‘Hydra’, ‘Barnes’ and ‘asset’, since he had referred to himself as ‘the asset’.  The search led them to an area where these mysterious records that were released were.  Hela began reading information from files that were decades old.  She read about the programming that James had been forced to endure; the memory wipes, the cryo-freezing and speculation about assassinations that the asset of Hydra and at one point the Soviet State had been involved in.  His code name was the Winter Soldier and there were questions as to if he even truly existed.  She then found information on how they tried to destroy James’s soul mark.  The fury that was brewing in her when reading about the Winter Soldier programming came to a fiery boil as she read about Hydra trying to burn the words from James’s arm.  They attempted to slice the skin off his arm where the words were, but as the arm healed, the words reappeared.  They added anti-soulmate indoctrination into his programming as they continued to try ways to destroy his mark.  Vengeance flared within Hela and she felt the need to destroy any and all that was left of this vile outfit.  Her soulmark burned as the importance James’s first words of ‘Am I safe?’ became painfully real.

James had gone stock still behind her.  She turned around and put her arms around his neck.  She spoke quietly in his ear.  “I am so sorry that I did not find you sooner.  I want to destroy them.”

“So do I.”  The soldier answered.

She turned back around entered ‘Thor’ in the search box hoping to snap James back from his current state as she looked into a benign topic.  She started reading articles and noticed that there were videos from Midgardian recording devices from the Chitauri invasion.

She selected one of the videos from the SHIELD files.  The first thing she noticed in the video was the Tesseract.  She watched as a portal opened and figure appeared.  When the figure stood, she gasped and flew back away from the screen in James’s chest.  He slid his flesh arm around her and held her close to him.

“What is it?” He said lowly in her ear.

“That’s my father.”  She said as she watched Loki on the screen use a strange scepter to pulse power into several individuals before the video cut out.

“Is he here now?”  James asked her.

“No, this was before the Chitauri invaded.  He was taken back to Asgard.”  She said as she relaxed against James.  She leaned forward and began to look around the computing machine.  “Is there a way to obtain copies of records of information housed here?”  She asked.

James pulled a flash drive out of his pocket and inserted it into the machine.  “You want the video of your father?  Why?”  He asked as he began copying the video to the drive.

“My father’s eyes are green.  Not blue.”  She said. “Thor might be interested in it.  I don’t want to see him, but I might leave it for him, someplace.”

“We’ve been here too long.  We need to leave.”  He said and he closed out the programs on the machine.

They got up and made their way out of the library.

“We need a room in an inn or tavern of some sort for the night, so that we might formulate what it is we are going to do.  We need to assimilate better and find a safe base for ourselves so we are not living in squalor.”

“We should move across the city and find a room there.”  He replied.

“Lead the way.”

They made their way across the city that Hela learned was called Baltimore.  The area was full of Midgardians and they blended into the crowds well.  They obtained a small room for the rest of the day and night that looked out onto a body of water, that the owner of this inn called the Chesapeake Bay. 

 James checked the perimeter and the room before they settled inside.  Hela sealed the door with magic.  They would know if someone tried to enter the room.  They were safe inside and still concealed from Heimdall.

“We each need to bathe and we need proper rest in a bed and another meal at least.  Do you have a change of clothing?”

James opened up the pack and took out his armored outfit.

Hela looked at the armor and then at what James was currently wearing.  “I think I can conjure you something similar to what you have on now, I think we might have need of this one later.”  She said pointing to the armored attire.  “Do you want to bathe first, and I’ll keep watch?”

After they both showered, they procured food from an eatery close to the inn they where they were staying.  Hela had created James clothing for the rest of this day and had restored his armored attire while he checked his weaponry that he was carrying in his pack.  She also did some tinkering with her own armor, modifying it so that it resembled James’s.  It already did in a way as she had metal plating that was similar to Thor’s.  Hers was black and covered both arms and her chest, torso and back.  She stylized her pants after James’s and already had her own boots.  James seemed impressed by what she had.  She guessed that he was unsure of what she would be bringing to the table as far as skills were concerned.  When they had time, she would take him to Niðavellir and have armor made for him by the dwarves.  She would use her status as Princess of Asgard to give it a priority completion date; maybe she would have them bill the treasury directly.  That would probably piss the Allfather off.  Yes, that would definitely be the plan.  And why shouldn’t the family pay for armor to safeguard her soul mate?

While eating the Misgardian foodstuff called pizza they talked of their future plans.

“We need to leave Baltimore.  Before we go there are 2 Hydra safe houses that need to be destroyed.”  James explained.

“Alright.  Will they have supplies and currency there?”  Hela asked.

“Yes.  We will take anything we can use that cannot be traced.  We will continue to use libraries as needed, but we must be wary of cameras and recording devices.  Others have technology that can detect faces from camera feeds.”

“Will there be cameras at the Hydra houses?” 

“Yes and we will destroy them.  We will obtain information from the computers at the houses and then destroy those as well”

“Where will we head after the marauding of the Hydra lairs?”

“North.  Away from this area.”

“Then we shall make more long range plans.” 

“Yes.”

“Good.  They have harmed my soul mate…they shall pay a very dear price.”

When night fell, they laid beside each other in the bed.  They drifted to sleep.  Hela was awoken a few hours later as James thrashed about in the throes of a vicious nightmare. 

He flew awake and began pleading.  “No more ice.  I don’t want to go in the ice again.  Please, please no ice.”

He was violently shaking as Hela tried to calm him. 

“James, I’ve got you.  No ice.  I promise, sváss minn.”

He started keening as she held on to him, his body continuing to shake and shiver.

“Come with me, James.”

She helped him stand and brought him into the bathing room.  She sat him on closed lid of the toilet and began drawing a hot bath.  When the water filled had filled the tub, she pulled his shirt over his head and then wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.  She kissed his cheek and then helped him slide his sweatpants and briefs down over his hips.  She lowered him into the hot water and then drenched a towel and draped across the front of his body that was not submerged so that he would be surrounded by the warmth.  She used a plastic cup meant for beverages and began pouring the hot water over him. 

“James, feel the water.”  She said.

He started to protest but she cut him off.  “James you are not The Asset.  Not anymore.  You are James Barnes.  You are a person and you can feel.  Feel the water, James.”  She continued to pour the water all over him.  His shaking started to settle down.  “Tell me what you feel.”

“I don’t know.”  He sobbed.  “I don’t know.”

“Shhhhh.  Close your eyes.”  He closed them.  “Tell me what you feel.”  She said gently.

“Wet and warm.  I feel the water.”  He said softly.

“Good.  What else?”

“I feel your hand on my chest. I feel you pouring the water.  It’s warm.  I feel warm.”  He paused for a moment and then continued.  “I feel the pull…I feel the pull because your mine.”

“Yes, sváss minn.  I am yours and you are mine.  I feel your pull as well.”  Hela continued to cover James’s body in warm water.  When his body was well relaxed, she drew him out of tub and helped him dry and redress.  She sent warming waves in the sheets and covers of the bed.  When they resettled, she pulled him close to her and wove a spell around him for a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 

The team puzzled over the intel that Sharon Carter had sent their way.  The previous day two more Hydra safe houses had been raided and destroyed.  That made for 3 within a 50 mile radius destroyed in about a week.  Money, arms and other supplies were taken.  Computers were destroyed, after their files had been wiped.  Cameras were destroyed; they were analog so there doesn’t seem to be a way to access anything that was recorded before they were destroyed.  Any Hydra agents on the premise were terminated.  There was no evidence as to who had conducted the raids and their purpose other than pillaging and destroying. 

There was a potential that Bucky was doing this but no firm evidence for or against this possibility.  There was only the circumstantial evidence from the hit on the facial recognition software that they got outside that library in Baltimore.  The cameras inside the library did not pick him up, it was almost as if he disappeared in the library.  They figured that he was in there, though.  Jarvis was able to pull up the internet cache from the computers and someone had done some significant searching and reading about Hydra, Captain America, the Winter Soldier and strangely enough, Thor.  They figured this was Bucky trying to find out information about himself.  Natasha and Clint had headed to Baltimore to do some investigating of their own but at their last check in nothing fruitful had been discovered.  The team would continue to use the facial recognition software to search for Bucky as well as any lead from those they could trust in hopes that they would be able to find him before the remnants of Hydra did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sváss minn: my beloved
> 
> Please let me know what you think. The previous comments really helped motivate me, so keep them coming.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re going to be using a more omniscient narration instead of the limited point of view we have been having in the first couple of chapters.

The raid on the safe houses yielded several thousand dollars, ammunition and a few more firearms.  James took some of that money and bought a used car from a somewhat shady dealer who was able to place clean tags on the car and ignore their lack of identification for a little extra money thrown in.  It helped that they were paying in cash.  Once in the car they headed out of the city.  James stayed off I-95, the main thoroughfare up the east coast of the US, instead he chose smaller interstates that weaved their way north, but taking a more winding path.  Once the city was behind them, they both seemed to visibly relax. 

Hela stared out the windows at the road.  Midgardians had come a long way from what she heard.  While they didn’t have the smaller scale jet propulsion that other places had, allowing hovering and flying vehicles to be used by the populous; they made due with the technology they did have.  These vehicles served their purpose, even though they were a little slower than she was used to.     

James broke the silence.  “There’s another smaller safe house I want to hit about an hour from here.  We can stop in a little bit and obtain clothes and food.”  James said as he focused on the road in front of him.

His training was evident to Hela as they moved seamlessly from taking out the safe house and obtaining transportation.

She nodded her head, assenting.  She thought for a moment and then asked, “Do you want to continue to wear your same armor that you wore when you were their asset?”

“Yes.  I want them to know who is coming for them.”  He responded, satisfied.

Hela smiled at his response.  “Do you mind that I copied some of your design?”  She asked.

“Well, you had the metal armor before you met me, so that was your own.  I kind of liked that you used the rest, especially the goggles and mask.  They knew who I was, even though my face was covered…they didn’t know who you were and when you shot those energy beams out of your hands they didn’t know what to do.  Between me and then the unknown of you…they were scared shitless.  Pretty effective.”  He answered. 

James had to admit to himself that he almost lost his focus when she took out two Hydra agents with a beam of light that seemed to shoot out of her palm.  Her knife throwing was impressive; he was interested to see what she could do in more close combat.    He didn’t know what to expect from her.  She had told him that she was trained in combat, but he wasn’t expecting such an elevated skill set.  He would have been impressed with something along the lines of the Hydra/SHIELD Strike Team.  But she was as strong as him and fast.  And this magic stuff was hard to believe and he had seen it.  He hadn’t expected her to be a liability, but he wasn’t expecting her to be the resource that she was either.  His thoughts on this were clear.  This string of reasoning fell in line with assessments he would have done as the Winter Soldier, this he knew and was comfortable.  His mind was often muddled, lately, since breaking protocol and not reporting back to Hydra.  Sometimes it was hard to think and process when not doing work that the Soldier would do.  He supposed that’s how he had the frame of mind to remove the tracker in his arm…that would be something the Winter Solder would do.  But since coming across Hela in that warehouse the day before yesterday, things seemed clearer.  He didn’t know why but he wanted to trust her, to stay with her; it must be because of the soul bond.  When she said she wanted to destroy Hydra, he knew he wanted to as well.  His mind began formulating the plans that they carried out earlier.  Today had been a good day, though he was relying heavily on the Asset’s training.  He didn’t feel himself slipping away and falling into that frame of mind as much though.  Hela had told him last night that he wasn’t The Asset anymore.  He didn’t remember really anything from before.  He knew he hadn’t always been The Winter Soldier; but he only knew that he was James Barnes from what he had read.  He didn’t know really what it meant to be James Barnes.  He did know that it meant that he was soul mates with Hela, who was from another planet and related to a prince.

“If Thor is your uncle, does that mean you are a princess?”  He asked her.

She chuckled to herself.  “Yes.  My father is the Second Prince of Asgard, making me Princess of Asgard and third in line for the throne.  Though that might of have changed, since my father’s actions probably caused him to be removed from the line of succession.”

“And you were spending the night in an abandoned warehouse on Earth?”  He questioned.

“I left Asgard a few months after my father’s supposed suicide.”  She shrugged her shoulders.  I’ve been wandering around the galaxy, just…existing.  I haven’t talked to any of my family since I left.  I heard about my father and the invasion through information outlets in the part of the galaxy I was in at the time.  Big news about Midgard travels, though most of the time, others are not interested in this realm.  I had been aimless in my travels as of late and contemplated actually visiting my uncle, who is the king of Alfheim, instead of just going to the realm without making it known.  But as I got closer, I felt this need to come to Midgard instead.  Midgard was very different than I was expecting but not hugely different from some other places I have been.  I picked to warehouse to give me time to formulate what I was going to do on Midgard and figure out why I wanted to come here.  It was then that you came upon me.”

“So you are this exotic space traveler princess and I have spent the last 70 years going from being on ice to being apparently one of the deadliest assassins in the world.”  James concluded.

“And you were friends with Captain America.”  She added.

“And I was friends with Captain America.”  He mimicked back. 

Hela smiled as his repetition.  “James, there are so many places I want to show you when we have completed our mission.  Well, we may have to take a break in order to take part in the festival of love on Alfheim.  But when we are done there is the harvest on Vannaheim.  I want to take you to the dwarves and have them craft armor for you that I will enchant so that you can call it forth whenever you have need of it.  And I want to explore Midgard with you.”  Hela said wistfully.

“But not Asgard?”  He asked gently.

Hela shook her head minutely.  “I have no wish to return to Asgard.  Though, I do wish for you to meet my grandmother and my brother, Sleipnir.”

After a moment, James held out his right hand to her, palm up.  She looked up at him and met his kind eyes briefly before he turned back to the road.  She took his hand and he intertwined their fingers together.  She wondered to herself for a moment if this was ‘Bucky Barnes’ holding her hand.

 

* * *

  

“He fucking stopped at Walmart before he knocked over a Hydra safe house.  Who they hell is this guy?”  Tony said shaking his head.

Again Bucky’s face had been picked up for a split second on an outside camera of a Walmart in central Maryland before he seemed to disappear again.  It was if someone was sabotaging the cameras, but not quite fast enough for the last one not to pick his face up.  But the cameras weren’t sabotaged; they were working fine in the store without interruption.

“Do we know if he shoplifted or if he paid for whatever he got?”  Bruce asked.

“We don’t know.  If he paid, he probably paid with cash.”  Steve answered.

“Where would he have gotten cash?”  Tony asked.  “Would he have pickpocketed?”

“You know, most SHIELD safe houses contain cash.”  Clint said.

“Outpost and houses for the Red Room did as well.”  Natasha added.

“So is his goal to destroy the safe houses or his goal to get things he needs.”  Bruce asked.

“Maybe both.  We don’t know how much programming is intact or what his frame of mind is.”  Steve answered.

“Perhaps his main focus is survival right now and he is doing what he must to make that happen.”  Thor though at loud.

“It would make sense, he’s moving away from DC and hitting spots he apparently knows about.”  Clint said looking at the images from the latest Hydra safe house that was taken out near an Army base in Maryland named Ft. Detrick. 

“If he’s getting cash and arms at each safe house, then that would aid him until his next hit.”  Bruce reasoned. 

“Now if we could only narrow down where that would be, we might be able to head him off and bring him home.”  Steve said solemnly.

 

* * *

 

Hela enjoyed partaking in the indoor market of goods that they had visited before they destroyed the Hydra house, but she suspected that these goods were not the highest quality available in the realm.  However, they served their need and she liked that they each had several outfits of clothing to wear.  She had told James that she craved sugar after using magic during battle; so he helped her choose a variety of sugary foodstuffs from the selection offered.  She made sure that James obtained food for himself until their next full meal.  James’s appetite was near to an Aesir’s; she assumed it was from the serum the Hydra injected him with; so they were on par with each other in their need to consume calories.  James, sometimes, needed to be reminded to eat.  Hela had seen in one of the files about the Winter Soldier that he had been trained to ignore hunger during missions and was sometimes fed intravenously.

They had been driving for several hours and had stopped for their evening meal.  They drove a little while longer and ended up outside of Philadelphia.  They would hit a small base located on one end of the city the day after tomorrow.  They checked into a mid-grade hotel room and settled in for the evening.  They would strategize tomorrow. 

Hela warmed the sheets and blankets as she did before.  She didn’t use the dreamless sleep spell on James again but asked him if he wanted to see if a calming spell would help him sleep better.  He agreed to give it a try.  They settled down into bed, each of them laying on their backs starting up at the ceiling. 

“I want to lay closer to you.”  Hela said in the dark.

“I want you to.”  James answered.

Hela shifted closer and tentatively laid her head on his bare chest.  James’s metal arm came up around her back and pulled her close, his hand resting on her shoulder. 

“I’m glad we found each other.”  He said as he pressed a kiss to her hair.

“I, as well.”  She sighed as she closed her eyes.

They both drifted off to sleep shortly after.

The next morning they began making plans for the destruction of the small base they had come here to destroy.  This was larger than the safe houses they had been hitting and their swiftness and precision would be needed to carry this out before reinforcements could be alerted. The building housing the secret base was outlined on a map of the city and James had drawn the basic schematics of the building in a notebook that he used as he relayed his plan for taking the base out.  They fit well together in this.  He had the ability to draft the strategies for taking out their targets and the skill to carry the plans into fruition.  She had the ability to carry out what he needed to be done with exactitude and a vicious gracefulness that was a part of her very being.  She was not his tool to be used, though.  She was his scaffolding, built around him, supporting his structure, reinforcing his weak spots.  Collapsing and reforming around him when their situation changed and he needed someone to keep him warm when dreams of freezing and pain plagued his sleep.    

On their driving trip from Baltimore, Hela explained some of the magic she could use that would be helpful and effective in their missions.  She would weave a spell of protection around James and would have a shield around him as they moved through the base.  James was disbelieving when the effects of the shield were explained.  Bullets from the human’s guns seem to have no effect on Hela, so she would only throw up as shield as needed based on what types of advanced weaponry the targets had at their disposal.     

James was intrigued with the concept of teleportation.  This would save time and resources and they would be able to maintain a safe home quarters since it would be virtually impossible for anyone to track them. 

Hela could easily transport another person with her.  She had known how to teleport since she was a child.  Her father was constantly working with her to build, refine and strengthen her skills.  Loki was the most powerful sorcerer in the nine realms, and it made sense Hela was not far off from him.  James, however, would need practice in teleporting.  It was not an unpleasant sensation, but it was one that someone would need to get used to.

Today they would practice. 

“It won’t feel as disquieting if I hold you close to me the first few times we do this, until you get use to the sensations.”  She explained.

“Does that mean, you’ll stop when I am well-practiced?”  James asked with a raise of his eyebrow and a quirk of his lip.

“Oh no, sváss minn…I shall hold you close, always.”  She responded with a wink and a smile.

They stood near the door of their room.  Hela stood against James’s body, she draped her left arm around James’s neck.  His right arm moved around her waist and he held her snug against him.  In an instant they were gone and appeared across the room in front of the bathroom. 

Easing a bit in his hold, James gave a succession of quick deep breaths.

“Are you well,ástin mínn?” She asked kneading her fingers and thumbs into the base of his neck, massaging. James nodded his head. “Yes. It felt different. Not bad, but strange.” When he regained his composure, they resumed their previous positioning and she sent them back across the room. For the rest of the afternoon they continued practicing teleportation, by the end of their session they had practice moving into formation when they reappeared. James had gotten use to the sensations and the feeling had become a reminder of how special his soul mate was and how much he valued her even though they had known each other less than a week. He did not want to imagine trying to continue on without the clarity and warmth she brought to him. Each day the pull towards her was stronger and stronger as his mind became clearer and clearer. 

 

Evening fell and they ate pizza for dinner again.  It was convenient and Hela freely admitted she found it quite tasty.  They were seated on the floor across from each other, with James leaning against the side of the bed.  As they finished, James broke their comfortable silence.  “Tell me about your brother.  You said that you were third in line for the throne, does that mean he’s younger?”

Hela’s eyes crinkled as she smiled.  “No, he’s older, but he is not in line for the throne.”  Hela watched James’s face as she made the next statement.  “My brother, Sleipnir, is the king, Odin Allfather’s, war steed.”

Confusion filled James’s eyes and face.  “Steed is a horse?”

“Yes.”

“Your brother is a horse?”

“Yes.”

Hela only left James flounder in confusion for a moment.  “My father is a gifted shape-shifter.  Without indulging in a long tale, the basic story is that my father shifted his form to that of a mare in heat and led away a mighty stallion in order to save Asgard from a large blunder on their part.  The mighty stallion caught up with the mare and Loki became impregnated.  He shifted shapes and forms throughout the pregnancy so that he could carry the foal to term and birth the eight-legged colt.  Sleipnir is imbued with innate magic, though he is still a horse, he is a magical, intelligent being and the only one worthy to carry the King of Asgard.”  Hela created a small illusion of her brother to show James what he looked like.     

“Your brother looks unbelievably amazing.”

“He is.  I hope that one day you might meet him.”

They fell back into companionable silence for a few moments. 

“I remember” James started.  “I remember living in Brooklyn when I was young.  It’s part of New York City.  And I remember sisters, but I don’t know how many and I don’t remember much about them…yet.”  James gave a little broken smile and nodded his head.

Hela gave him a warm smile back and cupped his face in her hand, rubbing her thumb across his cheek.  He reached up and held her hand in place.  They stared intently into each other eyes.  Slowly and tentatively they moved into each other, capturing each other lips in a soft embrace.  Timid at first, their lips moved, melding together as if a matching set had be joined as one.  James pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss with passion as he fisted his hand in her hair, his metal hand clutching her back as if she were a life line and he might drown if he let her go.  He plundered her mouth with his tongue as her hands grasped around his biceps and then moved to his shoulders and around his neck.  Her kiss streamed forth as she won dominance and explored his mouth, her tongue chasing his back into its sanctum.  He pulled her fully into his lap as their lips ebbed and flowed against each other, again and again, over and over, tasting the sweet nectar that the other could only provide.

When their lips finally released their claim, they held each other, forehead to forehead and then with their heads tucked into each other shoulders. 

When minutes turned into hours they moved as one into the bed, tangling their limbs together beneath the blanket holding each other through the night, neither wanting to let go of the salvation of the others embrace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ástin mínn: my love/ love of my life
> 
> Next chapter: We tag along as Bucky and Hela raze the Hydra base they were targeting. Thor has to air some of his family’s dirty laundry to the other Avengers and revelations are made.
> 
> Please keep the comments coming and let me know what you think. The comments are really motivating the flow of ideas for this story.


	4. Chapter 4

Some people may never meet their soul mate.  Fate changes, the universe doesn't align...whatever.  Clint wishes  _he_  never met his soul mate.  Once SHIELD crumbled there was a scramble for resources.  People took their favorite weapons from the armory; cash went unaccounted for, even boots and thermal suits went missing from various SHIELD bases.  What did Clint take…Soul Mark Concealment Patches in skin tone 3B; 4 cases worth.  These mesh patches were used to conceal soul marks on missions.  Clint had begun using these to cover his soul mark all the time.  He didn’t want to see it anymore and he didn't want anyone else to see it either.  The phrase that used to give him hope that someone, one day, would see something worthwhile in him, was now just a bitter reminder that happy endings don't really exist for people like him.  He took a patch from one of the smaller boxes inside the open case.  4 cases would last him a couple of years, especially since he could cut one patch into four smaller strips that would still cover his mark.  Maybe once he started running low he could ask Tony if Stark Industries could produce something like this, or maybe another company might be producing them by then.  He spread the patch out over the phrase that was neatly scripted at the very top of his right thigh and finished getting dressed. 

 

They had all agreed to help Cap track the Winter Soldier, who was apparently his best friend Bucky Barnes, and Stark had opened up the Tower to them all.  Apparently the Avengers was a thing now and Stark was bankrolling the operation.  It worked for him and he had no complaints yet.  He headed up to the common floor so they could comb through any intel that came in.

 

* * *

 

Hela’s ability to teleport allowed them to appear inside the base, instead of trying to fight their way into the facility.  While it was easy to enter a safe house that way; a base, no matter how small, needed to be entered with as little commotion as possible.  They appeared in the basement in the far corner of a large storage room, as planned.   

They moved side by side.  Hela covering the right and the low spots, James covering the left and the high spots.  They cleared the basement quickly and made their way to the middle floor.  They quickly moved throughout the floor, taking out Hydra agents on the spot without question.  The operatives found their bullets useless against Hela and they bounced off the defensive shield around James.  Hela flung two small daggers that hit agents coming out of a doorway into their path.  James kicked an agent across the room who tried to hit him with a lead weapon casing as if it were a pipe.  When the agent hit the wall, Hela gave him 2 quick jabs in the chest with the dagger in her hand.  Another operative tried to yank Hela by her hair from behind.  She flipped him over and kicked him mid-air.  James caught him and snapped his neck on the way down.  They continued down the hall towards the stairs, shooting Hydra agents they came across.

They made their way up to the top floor.  Making quick work of the few agents on this floor, they made their way to the room that held the servers for the base.  James worked on a computer while Hela guarded the door.  Two agents tried to enter, but she struck them down with a surge of energy from her fingers.  James copied all of the files from the servers to a drive he was going to take with him and then wiped the servers.  James took over the watch as Hela weaved a spell and launched an electrical surge through the system, destroying all of the computers and the surveillance recording equipment. 

Once the data was secured and the computers destroyed, they made their way back down the floors to gather anything that could be of use to them.  James gathered more ammunition and some medical supplies.  They secured approximately $10,000 in a mix US dollars and Euros.  James loaded up their bounty in transport bags from the base, each taking one to carry.  When they were ready to leave, Hela molded her body against James and wrapped an arm around his neck.  He held her tight around the waist with his flesh hand and she teleported them back to the hotel room they had been staying in.

After showers and changing, they went out to secure a new laptop so they could access the files they took from the Hydra computers. 

 

* * *

 

The message came in through Maria Hill who was coordinating information exchanges with pockets of agents loyal to SHIELD, other federal agencies and the Avengers (to keep them in the loop).  What apparently was a small Hydra base on the outskirts of Philadelphia had been hit and destroyed.  It had just happened about an hour ago and was close enough for the Avengers to check out.  They were going to look for any similarities between this and the safe houses that had been razed the past couple of days and see if there any clues here that others might overlook. 

When they arrived on scene, bodies of the Hydra operatives still lay strewn about, having not be collected yet.  The FBI had shown up and was keeping the scene intact, so that Avengers could see things exactly how they were left.  Other government agencies had been coming in and handling situations here and there that SHIELD would have normally dealt with, until some sort of order was reestablished.  Fury wanted SHIELD rebuilt and rumor had it that he wanted to Coulson to do it.  Until that happened, someone had to clean up messes like this. 

They had expected to see dead Hydra agents, so that really wasn’t a surprise.  Thor, however, had an unsure look on his face as they entered the compound, which from the outside, looked like an office building.  They followed the trail of destruction into the room that housed the computers and servers which were still smoking from an electrical surge that coursed through them.  Thor’s expression changed to one of sheer perplexity as he looked around the room.  After a few moments, he walked over to a couple of the dead operatives that were in the doorway, as if they had tried to enter while the assailant was in this room.  He looked at their wounds as if seeking confirmation.  He rose and looked at his teammates who had followed his movements.

“You got something, big guy?”  Tony asked.

“Aye, but it is information that needs background for you to understand.  It is best we discuss this back at our headquarters.”  Thor said.

“What’s going on, Thor?”  Natasha asked.

“I believe my niece has been here.  I can sense the lingering energy from her magic.  The residual traces are strong in this room and these men here have been hit with a magical discharge.  I will explain further when we are in a location where we can speak in confidence.”  He answered.

“Okay, let’s finish up here and head back to the Tower.”  Steve told everyone. 

* * *

 

The Avengers settled into the couches and chairs around the common room on the shared floor of Stark Tower.

“Alright, lay it on us, big man.”  Tony said.

“Every sorcerer has a unique signature to their seiðr.  It’s something other sorcerers can sense or feel.  My knowledge of seiðr is very limited; but I can sense the seiðr of my family quite well.  My niece was in that building today.  I felt just a hint of it when we entered the compound but upon entering the room with the computers it was stronger and more evident.  I believe she was the one who destroyed the computers and killed those agents in the doorway of the room.”

“Why would your niece be on Earth and in a Hydra base?”  Natasha asked.

“I am not sure why Hela was there, but Heimdall had caught a glimpse of her on Midgard earlier this week.  She usually is hidden from Heimdall but her concealment spell must have disrupted enough that he was able to see her.”  Thor explained.

“So what, no one noticed she was gone and hadn’t come back?”  Clint asked.

Thor shook his head, sadly.  “My friends, Hela has been gone from Asgard since shortly after Loki attempted to end his life by falling into the Void between realms.  Anger and sorrow about Loki’s choice consumed her and there were many gossip mongers speaking ills about him amongst the court.  We did not realize what her melancholy would drive her to do.  She concealed herself from Heimdall and left Asgard without informing anyone.  We hear about her whereabouts periodically from others who see or interact with her and pass word along to our family; but we have not had any actual contact with her in these 2 years.  I am unsure if she knows of her father’s survival or of what transpired on Midgard with the Chitauri.  Loki knows of her departure and I inform him of when we hear news of her.  He was just as surprised as I to hear that she was seen on Midgard.”

“Thor, did you say her name was Hela?”  Steve said, slight disbelief tinging his tone.

“Aye.”  Thor answered.

“I don’t want to ask how old she is, because that’s not going to have much meaning for us.  But is she grown, is she a child?”  Bruce asked.

“Ah yes, saying she is 483 will have little meaning to you.  There is not a precise ratio we can use to equate ages the ages of Aesir and Midgardians because the rate of aging is not constant in our race.  She is past the age of majority in Asgard.  She is comparable in age to the Lady Darcy, assistant to my Jane.”  Thor had a warm smile on his.  “She greatly resembles my brother in appearance and in her skill with seiðr.  There is no mistaking her as his daughter.”

“Um, Thor, do you have soul mates on Asgard?”  Steve questioned again.

“Yes, my friend, we do.  The soul mate bond is something sacred to us.”  Thor unbuttoned his shirt and showed the group the words on his left pectoral area, ‘Do me a favor and don’t be dead.’

There were chuckles all around, the group being familiar with the story of Jane Foster and her crew hitting Thor with their truck when he first landed on Earth. 

“I must admit, my friends, when the words first appeared, many were concerned; believing that something grave was going to occur.  It was my niece who brought light to those words suggesting that perhaps I would be overly intoxicated when I met my soul mate.  I have not had the chance to tell her that those words were said because my soul mate struck me with her vehicle.”  Thor smiled.  Thor looked to Steve.  “Steven, something is troubling you.” 

“Yeah Steve, looks like you’ve seen a ghost.”  Bruce added.

“Bucky’s…”  Steve’s voice broke a little.  “Bucky’s soul mark had the name Hela in it.”  Steve looked down at the floor as he continued.  “We used to joke about where she was during this particular cold winter in ’38, because in part of the wording she offers him a blanket.  I used to say ‘we could really use that blanket now, don’t you think’.  Thor, do you know what hers says?”

“Aye, Steve.”  Thor nodded his head, looking solemn.  “Hela’s soul mark says ‘Am I Safe’?

Steve’s eyes filled with tears.

“Steve, what does Bucky’s say?”  Natasha asked.

Steve’s breathe hitched, “It says ‘You are safe with me.  My name is Hela.’ And then she says she has a blanket if he needs it.” 

Thor got up and kneeled down in front of Steve.  “Steven, I know in my heart, he is safe with her.  Hela’s soul mark appeared when she first entered adolescence, near a hundred years ago.  Loki instilled upon her the importance of those three words on her skin.  He taught her and trained her and sent her away to study in many areas so that when her soul mate asked her that question, she would be sure of her answer.  She will help him, Steven.  She will not let Hydra take him.”

“Apparently, she will help him kill Hydra agents and destroy their facilities, too.”  Clint said.

“Verily.  If the wounds that Hydra had inflicted on your friend are revealed to her, her vengeance will be mighty and she will act upon it.  She is my brother’s daughter, after all.”  Thor agreed.

Clint snorted and gave a slight eye roll.

“Can’t you contact her and get her to bring him home?”  Steve pleaded.

“My friend, if I could contact Hela, I would have when she first left Asgard.  I would have when we discovered Loki was alive and found him on your world.  I would have made her come with me to Midgard to bring him back.”  Thor countered.

“I know.  I’m sorry.”  Steve whispered.

“Worry not, my brother-in-arms.  I know the determination behind your desire to bring your friend back to you.”  Thor consoled.

“So we are looking for a tandem that can apparently take out a small Hydra base together.”  Natasha said.

“Thor, what else can the spawn of Loki do other fry computers and zap Hydra goons?” Tony inquired.

“The list is quite extensive.  Like Loki she can cast illusions and conjure items, manipulate energy, along with a host of spell-casting that is too lengthy to name.  She can teleport and can use astral projection.  She can levitate.  She has the durability of any Aesir and has the same healing ability has us.  She has the speed and agility of her father and her strength is remarkable.  She is one of my favorite sparring partners because of this combination.  Loki managed her combat training and taught her his manner of fighting.  She is skilled at throwing daggers and using magic in addition to her hand-to-hand tactics.  She is a fearsome opponent and a formidable ally.”  Thor sounded like a proud uncle bragging about his niece.

“Holy shit!  And you say Loki is more powerful than that?”  Tony exclaimed.

“Aye, Stark.  Loki was Hela mentor is her studies in seiðr.  He sent her to the healers in Asgard to study healing of the body and to Vannaheim to study the healing of the mind.    Loki has had quite a few more centuries than Hela to hone his practice.”  Thor responded.

“So do you think she could teleport another person with her?”  Steve asked.

“Oh I know that she can.  Loki specifically taught her to transport another and saw to it that her magic was strengthened enough to do it easily.”  Thor answered. 

“You think they teleported into that base, Cap?”  Clint asked.

“Yeah.  I think they started in the basement and caught the operatives unaware.  The take down was quick and efficient.  Hela must have watched the door while Bucky wiped the computers and then she fried them.”  Steve reasoned.

“So what’s our next move?”  Clint followed up.

Steve transitioned in to Captain mode.  “Bucky’s still a ghost right now.  We need to work against Hydra, ourselves.  Sharon is decrypting some files from the corrupted SHIELD servers.  We’ve got the locations of a couple potential Hydra sites.  It’s time we clean some of these out.  I want prisoners that can be interrogated.  Widow and Hawkeye, I want you heading that up.  Tony and Bruce, I want you guys to get as much data off anything we come across.  Thor, I want you to keep an eye on things and see if there is any opening for contact or following them.  We meet in the conference room in 1 hour for mission prep on our first strike.”

* * *

 

James sat at the small table in their hotel room, running through the files he obtained from their strike today.  He was only wearing pants and was sitting on a cushioned stool that Hela had swapped with one of the dining chairs at the table.  Her fingers were divine as she worked over the muscles of his back and neck.  She would periodically move over his right shoulder and then work her way back up to his neck and then journeyed down his back.  Her touch was grounding and helped pull him out of the Winter Soldier mind set.  He could feel her warm breath on his neck when she leaded closer to work out a knot in his shoulder.  More than once he had to close his eyes when he was lost in the sensation of her strong, yet gentle hands all over him.  He sighed out loud when she started to card her fingers through his hair.  He needed to finish up his search because he was losing the ability to focus on anything else other than the light touches on his scalp and the soft press of her body behind him.  This incredible, beautiful, sexy woman could make him forget and make him remember all at once.   

She began peppering kisses across his shoulders, both of them.  “You make me feel alive; like I have a purpose.  I’ve been wandering for so long; I’ve been lost and you found me.”  She whispered in his ear.  “I know that I ground you, but you ground me too.   I feel safe when I’m with you.  You keep my nightmares away.”  She moved to whisper in his other ear.  “Why don’t you show me what you have found, we take our evening meal and then you let me continue to make your body feel good.”

James nodded his head in agreement and pulled Hela around to his front, sitting her on his lap so that she faced the laptop screen.  He put his chin on her shoulder and pulled an image up on the screen.  A photo of the chair that he was strapped into when they wiped his memory was displayed.  “There are 5 of these.  We have to destroy them all.”  He said. 

“You know where there are?”  She asked.

“Yes.  The first one we are going to take out is in Russia.”  He answered then turned her head to capture her lips.  As he pulled away from her lips, he looked into her eyes.  “You are the dawn after the darkest night.”  He told her before he kissed her again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to cut it off there, but....next chapter will start with some light smut. 
> 
> I used the Marvel Wiki for a rundown of Hela's abilities. In that synopsis, they indicate that Hela could go toe to toe with Thor.  
> http://marvel.wikia.com/Hela_(Earth-616)
> 
> I have created a notebook on Evernote that has pics of what I envision my Hela looks like. I see her more of kind of looking like a Lady Loki (without the damn horns, lol). You can view it at this address.  
> https://www.evernote.com/pub/jthomp7671098/whatienvisionmyhelalookslike
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so much for the kudos, comments, subscriptions and bookmarks. Let me know what you think so far.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There be smut in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, this chapter is only sexy times (except the first 3 paragraphs)

James sat on the edge of the bed.  He was shirtless with soft cotton bed pants on.  Hela had picked them out when they had stopped for clothing on their way up to this location; she had wanted them both to have soft clothing to wear to bed.  James didn’t care; he was used to sleeping in his clothes of the day or nude.  Hela had crawled up behind him and was rubbing his shoulders and placing light kisses across his back and neck.  She was wearing small shorts in a deep shade of purple and a matching tank.  Her hair fell in soft waves just past her shoulders. 

 

James leaned all the way back onto the bed so Hela would have to move or be caught.  She gave a laugh and playfully shoved his metal arm.  He had started to feel freer after he told her of their next targets; she had brought up other topics while they waited to go retrieve the Chinese food that they ordered.  She was talking about the music CDs he had bought for her. 

 

She had seen music CDs at the electronics store that they had bought the computer at.  He explained to her their purpose and how these particular CDs had music recorded on them.  Not knowing where to begin as far as music was concerned, he picked up an assortment of CDs she was examining; ones claiming to contain the greatest hits from a particular decade.  He picked up one for each decade starting with the 40s. The curiosity on her face was only dwarfed by her smile when she realized what he was doing.  James felt a swell in his chest that he couldn’t quite explain, but he felt at ease, calm and clear.  Out of nowhere, in the store, he had randomly thought of slow dancing amongst other couples and had the sudden longing to pull Hela close in to his body.  He led her to the area to pay for their purchases and explained that they could play the CDs on the computer and through a player in the car.  He explain how music was available electronically in this time period.  Hydra had always kept him updated on how to use current technology.  He could not remember ever listening to music, but he very much wanted to try this activity with Hela.  It was ideas like this that made him feel more like a person and less like the Asset. 

 

Hela made him scoot up toward the head of the bed and leaned in to draw him into a slow, deep kiss.  He brought his hands up to hold her shoulders, not wanting her to pull away.  Instead, as she broke the kiss, she moved into his neck and began mouthing and lightly sucking.  James moaned at the sensation and gripped her shoulders for purchase.  She moved toward the center of his neck and switched sides, straddling his waist in order to get there.  James’s hips involuntarily bucked up against her and he could feel his dick hardening beneath her. She moved her mouth back to his and he held her close against him; grinding his pelvis up in to her.

 

"You feel so good." She said as she sat up, still straddling him and pulled her shirt off.  Leaning back down, she started to kiss down his chest; her bare breasts pressing into skin of his abdomen.  When she reached his right nipple, she swirled her tongue around it before blowing lightly on it and then licking it again.  He moaned.  She gave the same treatment to his other nipple and then mouthed her way down to his stomach.  She licked around his navel and licked a stripe along the waistline of his pants.  By this time his cock was fully hard and tenting in his pants.  She looked up him and gave him a smirk before nuzzling her face into his erection.  He jolted from the feeling and cried out.  She slid his pants over his hips, freeing his thick, hard member, already leaking.  She pulled his pants all the way off and tossed them on the floor by her shirt.  She used her right hand and firmly, grasped his needy dick, squeezing it slightly.  James thrust his hips up in the air and called out her name with a whine.  She swiped her finger across his slit and smoothed the pre-come over his member as she began to stroke him.  His breathing sped up as he began keening.  She leaned down and swirled her tongue around the head of his cock causing James to let out a slow, loud whine.  She swirled her tongue around the head 3 more times before taking half of his thick length into her mouth, sucking as she eased it in.  She slowly slid back up and began mouthing and sucking on just the head, periodically swirling her tongue over the slit to catch the leaking fluid. 

 

“Feels so good. “ James said as he gripped the sheets.  She took him all the way in her mouth, hollowing her cheeks as she sucked on his needy cock.  He cried out again.  She used her hand to stroke his dick at the base and she moved up and down the shaft, periodically sucking on just the head or swirling her tongue a couple of times across it. 

 

“Hela, something’s happening.  I…I-I feel like something’s going to happen.”  He whined.

 

She released his cock from her mouth and used her hand to stroke him.  “Your orgasm’s building, my love.  You probably haven’t had one in a long time.  Focus on the feeling, ástin mínn.  Feel it.  Let it build and then let it wash over you.”

 

She took his heavy cock back in her mouth and began the process again, moving up and down the shaft, sucking on the head, swirling her tongue.  She reached her hand in between their bodies and gently massaged his balls, giving them light squeezes. 

 

It got to the point that James could not resist and began to undulate his hips, using the motion to pump his dick through Hela’s hand and into her mouth.

 

“Hela, it’s coming.  I can feel it.”

 

Hela speed up her bobbing.  Devouring his cock, waiting for his damn to burst and his ecstasy to spring forth.  She felt his dick harden even more at the approach of his orgasm.  He screamed her name as he came.  She kept stroking him through it as he continued to thrust his hips, pumping into her mouth.  She swallowed down everything he spent.  Giving one last hard suck the head, she saddled up beside him, stroking his belly as she moved lay beside him. 

 

Hela was no blushing maiden by any means.  Before, taking a romp with a stable hand or a palace guard was one of her favorite pastimes.  But, there was something electric about making this intimate connection with your soul mate.  Senses were heightened, pleasure was more intense and just in general there was a feeling of euphoria.   

 

James was still breathing heavy as he sat up and turned to look down at her.  She gave him a smile.  He dove in and claimed he lips viciously.  She moaned into his mouth and he crushed their lips together.  He broke the kiss and grabbed ahold of her shorts yanking them off and tossing them aside.  She lay naked on the bed beneath him, wetness building between her folds from pleasuring him earlier.  He looked utterly debauched.  His eyes roamed all over her body, making her writhe a little under his gaze.  He trailed his hand up her thigh and settled right at her entrance.  He stroked the petals of her opening ever so briefly then sank two fingers deep inside her.  She bent back on herself, arching off the bed and calling out his name in a low loud voice.  She was dripping wet as he worked his fingers in and out of her. 

 

She relaxed into the bed and he lowered his face down and took a soft nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before lightly nipping it with is teeth.  Licking it again until it was a hard bud.  He gave the same treatment to the other nipple and began trailing kisses and licks all over her breasts.  He eased his pumping and slowly pulled his fingers out of her causing her to whine at the emptiness he left behind.  He shifted her forward and slid in behind her, leaning on the headboard.  He pulled her back so her back was flush against his bare chest and kissed her neck as his flesh fingers found their way to her clit.  He slowly stroked it, in a circular pattern, varying his speed and direction.  The cool fingers of his metal hand, twirled around her nipples, lightly squeezing her breasts.  She pushed back against him and grasped his forearms and he fingered her clit.  His strong body framing around her as he pleasured her.  His metal hand lifted her left thigh, so her knee bent.  He then eased it over his left leg and slid them both over, widening the space between her legs.  He moved his metal hand down her body, lightly brushing his cool finger against her skin.  Her breath sped up in anticipation.  He coated two fingers of his metal hand with her wetness and slowly slid them into her passage. 

 

“James!  Yes!”  She cried out as he sunk the fingers of his left hand in to the hilt and began slowly finger fucking her as he rubbed and swirled her clit with his right.  She relaxed into him and gave her body over to the ecstasy engulfing her as he continued his ministrations.

 

She had never felt this close, this intimate, with a lover before; but with the position he had them in, she could feel him all around her.  His hands, his body were everywhere; all over her.  Her gripped tightened as she wished to pull him even closer, so she could drown in his warmth, his smell his taste.

 

He was nuzzling her neck, kissing and sucking, while using his hands to slowly build her orgasm.  He picked up the pace of his fingers only to slow them down again.  Teasing her so close to gratification and then backing her down, only to continue the assent, again.  He picked up the pace of his fingers again only this time to send her soaring as her orgasm overtook her.   She came with James’s name tumbling from her lips in loud desperate cries.  His body moved with hers and he guided her through her orgasm.  She could feel his presence all around her, engulfing her in his warmth.    They lay together, coming back down from sensuality’s pinnacle.

 

They moved languidly and cleaned themselves up enough to be comfortable; settling into bed under the blankets, wrapped in each other arms, bathed in contented bliss as they fell into sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy times will abound soon. Hela has something special in mind that she wants James to experience...but not for a couple more chapters yet.
> 
> More story to come this weekend. 
> 
> Thanks so much for the comments, kudos, subscription and bookmarks. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought...this was my first time posting the sexy times. Did it make sense? Could you follow the description? And of course any other comments you have.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to go with fluff for this chapter; but it took an angsty turn.  
> TW: for reference to self-harm (no graphic description)

Bucky woke up with a warm weight pressed against him in the little spoon position.  Warm sensation filled him as he remembered the bliss from the previous night.  He pulled Hela closer and pressed a kiss to her inky black hair.  She hummed in contentment.  He couldn’t wait to introduce Stevie to his girl…His bona fide princess from outer space.  He knew Stevie would love her. 

James physically startled.  ‘Where did that come from?’ he asked himself.  He searched his mind.  He didn’t think he had any more memories, but there were feelings, inclinations towards certain things without clear memories to back them up.  He hated Brussel sprouts.  He liked fiery dames with spunk.  Steve Rogers was his best friend.  

Other known truths started to fall into places around these mindsets; truths that were contradicting themselves.  He was the Winter Soldier.  He was the Fist of Hydra.  He was not the Asset anymore.  Hydra must be destroyed. 

The Asset has no soul mate.

He has a soul mate.

The Winter Soldier is hunted.

He is safe.

 

 

Last night he felt more like a person that he has ever remembered.  His soul mate knows what he is…what he was.  She knows what he has done….knows what he needs to do.  She is still here, still with him.

Does Steve know what he has done?  Does Steve know what he is doing now?  Does he want the Winter Soldier as his best friend? 

No, he can’t think of facing Steve now.  He has a mission to finish.  He doesn’t want to think of the disappointment on Steve’s face when he realizes all the Soldier…James….Bucky has done.  

No, he needs to stay away from Steve.  Maybe once the chairs are gone and the mission is finished, maybe he will contact Steve and tell him he’s sorry.  He didn’t mean to do all those things.  He doesn’t think he wanted to kill those people.  They were his missions, he had to do it. 

He was the Asset. 

He had orders. 

He had to obey. 

They wiped his mind. 

They put him on ice. 

They start over. 

He has to obey. 

He has a mission. 

He is the Asset. 

He has to obey. 

They’re going to put him in the chair.

“Not the chair!  I’ll obey.  I promise.  Not the chair, please not the chair.  I’m sorry.  Stevie, I’m sorry!  I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry.”

 

* * *

 

 

Hela woke when she heard James whine behind her.  She turned over, looking at him.  His eyes were wide open but had a glazed look to them.  Suddenly, James started pleading and shaking.

She grabbed his hands and squeezed them.  “James, you are here with me.  We are in bed; you aren’t there.  You are not the Asset.  You’re here with me now.  Focus on my hands in yours, ástin mínn.  Focus on my voice, come back to me now.

“Hela.”  James whined as he broke off into a sob and curled in on himself.  She wrapped her arms around him as much as she could and kissed his head.

“I’ve got you, my love.  You are here with me.”

“He’s going to hate me.”  James whined.

“Who, darling?  Who is going to hate you?”  She asked, carding her fingers through his hair.

“Stevie.  He’s…he’s going to hate me for all the things I’ve done.  He was my best friend and I’ve let him down.  I can’t…I can’t…”  He broke off into whimpers are he clinched his hands in his hair.

“No darling.  That was not you.  You did not have a choice.  They stole that from you.  Your friend will know that.  He will understand.”  Hela spoke gently as she worked James fists open so that he would release his hair. 

“I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.”  He pleaded in a voice barely above a whisper.

“I know, ástin mínn.  I know.”  She said as pulled him closer and held him.  Finally, after a while, some of the tension started to ease out of his body.

“I woke up feeling really good too.  I felt like I remember some things…good things.  But then all the awful started closing in.”  James said softly.

“That’s good that you remembered.  Is that when you thought of your friend?”

“Yeah, I was thinking of him meeting my genuine alien princess.” James gave a weak chuckle.  “I’m not ready to see him.” He said soberly. 

“It’s your choice to make.  I will be with you if you ever decide to seek him out.”  She squeezed him tighter.  “Do you think he is looking for you?” 

“I don’t know.”  James said quietly.

 

* * *

 

 

Their first hit on a Hydra base was a success.  Tony and Bruce were able to get a significant amount of files off the servers before they destroyed them.  They were able to take several prisoners, which Natasha and Clint were interrogating.  Between the files and the information the agents were sure to give up to the Black Widow, they should be able to get a better handle on Hydra’s operations.

Steve wanted a list of the locations of known bases and safe houses as soon as possible.  If they could coordinate strikes on these sites, it might be possible to intersect or cross paths with Bucky.  Bucky, who was taking our Hydra sites with his soul mate, which he somehow found.  When they pictured how they would each meet their soul mates; it was nothing like this.  He was having a hard time reconciling that this was fate.  Thor said that his niece received her soul mark 100 years ago.  She had been working for 100 years to be able to be prepared to keep her soul mate safe.  Bucky’s soul mate was Loki’s daughter.  The Loki who had invaded the planet in hopes of ruling it.  He truly believed Thor when he said that she would be able to protect Bucky and help him.  But that did not mean that he didn’t want to help him too, that he didn’t want to see his best friend who he thought was lost to him.  He desperately wanted to find Bucky and hopefully the intel they got from this first strike would help them narrow down the targets that he might be heading for.

“Captain Rogers.” Jarvis’s voice broke into Steve’s train of thought.

“Yeah, Jarvis.”  He answered.

“Sir has compiled some files for you to examine.  Some of them are from the dumped SHIELD files and some are from the purged Hydra server.  Since it has come to light that Sgt. Barnes is most likely traveling with his soul mate; the files for your perusal deal with Hydra’s soul mate research and actions.”  The AI replied.

“Thanks, Jarvis.”  Steve replied as he picked up his StarkPad and began searching through what was compiled.  Steve began reading through the records of attempts to remove Bucky’s soul mark, the anti-soul mate programming they forced into Bucky’s mind as well as the research they did into the concept of the soul bond breaking through the programming that Hydra was using.  He could only hope that was true and that by being with his soul mate, Bucky was deprogramming and forcing Hydra from his mind.  He hoped that maybe Bucky would contact him when he his mind was clearer.  Until that happened or they found him, the Avengers would continue to eradicate Hydra from existence.

 

* * *

 

 

 James emerged from the shower to find Hela using the laptop that they had purchased.  There was music emanating from the speakers.  The empty “Greatest Hits of the 60s” CD case lay on the table. 

“I remember that everyone called me ‘Bucky’.” James said as he continued to towel dry his hair. 

Hela laid the breakfast she obtained from the café across the street from the hotel out for him on the table.  “Do you want me to call you Bucky?”  She asked.

“No.  I don’t know if that Bucky still exists.  Sometimes I feel like him.  But other times, it’s hard to think about being him.  I feel so different.  I think I like being James.  I don’t feel like there’s an expectation of who James is.”  Bucky explained.

“Is that some of the reason you do not want to seek out your friend?”  Hela asked.

“Maybe.  It’s hard to explain.  Part of me feels like he’ll be disappointed in what I’ve done.  But then I remember what you said…that it wasn’t me…it was the Asset…and part of me knows that’s true.  But I feel like if maybe if I was stronger, I could have fought them.  I could have tried harder and maybe I wouldn’t have become the Winter Soldier.  I was too weak and they made me into the Asset.”  Bucky looked down at the table, resigned.

“You were not too weak.  They tortured you.  They took your agency away and left you with no choice but to obey.  They conditioned you to obey.  They hurt you.  That doesn’t make you weak.  That makes you a person.”  Hela got up wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind.  She kissed his metal shoulder and then his temple.  “When you had the opportunity, when you started to remember, when you knew something was wrong, you acted.  You saved your friend’s life, didn’t you?  You pulled him from the river, instead of letting him drown.  You’ve been fighting hard this past week.  You’ve been stronger than anyone could be.  I think your friend is not going be disappointed.  I think he will understand.  I think he will continue to be your friend.  I think he would probably offer his assistance to you also, as a best friend would.”  Hela justified.

James leaned his head back against her shoulder.  She kissed his cheek, the light stubble on his face tickling her lips.  He turned his head and caught her lips in a kiss.  They shared a couple more light and playful kisses before she pulled away, reminding him that his breakfast was in front of him.

She went back to her spot in front of the laptop.  She had gotten pretty proficient in accessing information via the Midgardian internet.  Midgard had come a long way its information sharing.  

“What about you?”  Hela looked up as James asked.  “Who’s the best friend of the wandering Princess of Asgard?” 

Hela gave a wiry smirk before she looked down at the computer screen.  “The bastard brat of an ergi seiðr-boy doesn’t have many close confidants.”    

“I’m not sure what all of that means, but it sounds derogatory.”  James said with confusion.

“Seiðr is the name for the magic, the sorcery.  Most practitioners in Asgard are female.  Men can practice seiðr and there are some accomplished wielders; my father is the most powerful sorcerer in the nine realms.  But to be male and practice seiðr means that you are ergi.  You are unmanly and effeminate.  Some old Aesir use ‘ergi’ a slur for someone engaged in sexual relations with other men.  It’s pretty acceptable now to have relations with the same gender because of soul bonds that exist with same gendered people and it isn’t an issue on most other realms.  But the stigma remains on men practicing seiðr.  It is seen as manipulative for men to use seiðr instead of being more forthright.  It is but tricky, especially on the battlefield, and not what a real man would engaged with.”  She explained. 

James nodded his head in understanding and Hela continued.  “So my father was seen as someone to be wary of; someone with a dubious understanding of accepted social practices and then he had _another_ child with a potentially questionable birth.  Members of the court and the noble class tended to stay away, unless it was for political dealings.  My father was superb in political dealings.  The servants were different, though.  I played with their children that they brought to the palace, when I was young.  Now we did, however, have a great many acquaintances when we traveled to Alfheim.  I love Alfheim; our uncle, Frey, is the King of that realm.  Seiðr is practiced openly by anyone who can and wants to.  Sometimes I wished my father and I could have lived on Alfheim permanently.  I can’t wait to take you there.”

“So everything you told me about friends and what a best friend would do…”  James wondered out loud.

“I read about in stories from different realms.” Hela shrugged and continued looking at whatever was on the computer screen. 

“What about your ma?”  James asked.

Hela’s eyes flicked over towards James and then back to the computer screen.

“That, my love, will be a story for another time.”  Hela said.

James nodded to her and left it at that.  It was at that point, as he got up to do his daily weapons check, that he realized he wasn’t the only one who was in extreme need of their soul mate; his need was just more recognizable when they first met. 

 

* * *

 

 

Hela searched in the Google for ‘how proprietors offer available residences’.  They would need a more permanent living space since they would not necessarily have to be on the move as frequently as originally planned, with their ability to teleport to sites and back.

When she examined the results of the inquiry, she realized that the Google provided listings of proprietors offering housing.  In her travels, she came across many places that offered long-term stays in temporary quarters as well as places where wanderers would not be disturbed if seeking solitude.  She wondered if Midgard offered the same types of arrangements. 

She believed she had found a location that would offer them solitude as needed but they would be among numerous residents so they could blend in more.

There were numerous places to choose from.  Some locations had more amenities than others.  Some included meals in their pricing.  Upon seeing some images of the locations she thought that she and James should visit this place after they were finish with their quests so that they could enjoy what this location had to offer more.

She called James over and showed him the informational page she found for the Cove Haven Resort in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania.  She showed the location on a map and pointed out her thoughts on the location. 

“I read commentary on this type of resort and it indicated that it is not unusual for others not to see the guests for the duration of their stay once they have checked into their rooms.”  She told him.  “This could be a good location for us.  I am not familiar with the currency enough to know if this pricing is acceptable but if gold is acceptable currency on this realm, I have a store of it with me that we could use.”

“It seems an unusual enough location for us to choose that I do not think anyone would look for us there.  We can exchange the gold for US currency to use.  I have a plan for possibility taking funds from Hydra electronically when we hit our next target.  We are also going to need identification if we are going to stay in a place like this.”  James explained.

“I might be able to fabricate identification documentation if I know what it needs to look like.  If I have an example, I could copy it exact, only altering what we want on it.”  Hela offered.

“Good.  We’ll do that.”  He replied.  “I think this will work for us.  Let’s formulate a plan and then we’ll make arrangements. 

Hela wrote down the information and then made note of the site so they could return to book reservations.

 

* * *

 

The Avengers were sharing a meal together when the distinctive flash from the Bifrost indicated that someone from Asgard was arriving. 

Fandral was on the outside landing pad and was quickly welcomed into the Tower by Thor as the other Avengers lingered in the background.

“My friend, what brings you here?”

“My Prince, you are being summoned back to Asgard by the Queen, she is seeking your assistance.”

Thor looked alarmed.  “What has happened?”

“Your brother…he has harmed himself.”  Fandral responded.

“He made another attempt on his life?”

“No, Thor.  He-.”  Frandral blanched.  “It was said the he tried to destroy his soul mark.”

Thor looked somewhat taken aback.  “I’ve never seen his soul mark.  I assumed he did not have one.”

“Aye, Thor.  The healers said that he used a glamour illusion to hide it from view.  Your mother said that he has had his for about as long as you have had your mark.”  Fandral responded. 

“What aid does my mother think I can offer?”

“Heimdall reports that you may have news on the Princess.  The Queen thinks that news of her will help ease the mind of the Prince.  The Queen had sent for mind healers from Vanaheim; they had just arrived as I was preparing to leave Asgard.”  Fandral explained.

Thor turned to other Avengers.  “My friends, I must return to Asgard.  I will return when I am able.”

“Thor, you do what you need to do.  Good Luck.”  Bruce said for the group.

 

* * *

 

 

Thor was led into the healing room by one of the healers from Vanaheim. He stayed near the door, but he could see the bed Loki was in and could see that he was awake but seemed dazed. 

“How is he?”  Thor asked.

“He’s doing better, Prince Thor.”  The healer answered.  “He has a therapeutic binding on his seiðr.  He is restrained currently, but he is comfortable.  We may lift the restraints after we see the effects of the calming draught he was given.  He was also given a nutrient draught because it seemed like he had not eaten for several days.  His wound to his ribs where the soul mark is was treated and bandaged, it will heal fully.  The soul mark will remain intact once the flesh is healed; it cannot be destroyed.”

“May I speak with him?” 

“Yes, Your highness.”

“I bring news of his daughter and her soul mate.  Is it alright to mention her soul mate?”  He asked.

“We’ll monitor his reaction; you may need to stop if his reaction is adverse.

Thor walked over to Loki’s bed.  He sat in the chair near his head.

“Loki?  Brother?”

Loki’s head turned towards Thor, face vacant and expressionless as his eyes roamed over Thor’s face.  His eyes trailed away from Thor’s face and looked about the room without aim. 

Thor reached up and tentatively stroked Loki’s hair.  “Brother, I bring news of Hela.”

Loki’s eyes flowed back towards Thor. 

Thor kept lightly stroking Loki’s hair as he spoke.  “She remains on Midgard.  I have not seen her as of yet, but I have seen the signs of her seiðr.  She has used it while avenging a most heinous act committed by a monstrous organization that had infiltrated the SHIELD.”

Loki looked puzzled for a moment before Thor began again.

“No Brother, she does not fight for Midgard’s SHIELD.  No, she has found her soul mate, Loki, and she fights with him.  This act, most vile, was committed upon his person and his mind.  It is a tragic tale that begins back in the time the Captain originated.”  Thor then launched into the tale of Bucky Barnes who became the Winter Soldier. 

“So you see Brother, it was quite astute for you instruct Hela and seek out all manner of study and training that you did.  She has utilized it well.  She protects her soul mate and keeps him safe as they enact vengeance upon the wicked Hydra.  The Avengers are working diligently to track their movements and perhaps intersect with them.  It is their hope that we might all be reunited.

“Prince Thor, it’s time for Prince Loki’s next medicinal dose.  This will cause him to be drowsy and sleep.”  One of the healers told him.

“Yes.  I understand.”  Thor got up from his seat.  “Goodbye brother, rest well.”

“Frey’s festival.”  Loki said softly. 

“What was that?”  Thor asked.

“Hela…she will want to take him to Frey’s festival.”  Loki answered, quietly.

“You are right.  The Festival of Love and Fertility approaches in just over a fortnight.”  Thor smiled in his reply.  He made his way to the door of the room

“Thor.”  Thor turned to look at his brother.  “Thank You”

“Of course, brother.  I shall bring more news when I have it.”

Thor visited with his friends afterward and spent the night in Asgard.  He stopped by to visit with his mother in her sitting room, the next morning, before he departed to return to Midgard.

“Hello, Mother.”  Thor said as he kissed her cheek.

“It is good to see you, my son.  I am glad you came.”  Frigga said as she hugged Thor.

“How is Loki?”  He asked.

“He fares even better since you spoke with him.  I sat with him last evening and he seemed to enjoy sharing with me all that you told him earlier about Hela and her soul mate.  What a harrowing tale!  I do hope though, that this young man is able to help Hela, also.  I wish only happiness for her but I miss her terribly.”  Frigga answered. 

“That is good to hear, mother.  As I told Loki, I hope that this quest ends with all of us reunited.”  Thor replied.

“Thor, there is something else you should know.”  Frigga’s tone was dampened. 

“What it is, mother?”

“The mind healers from Vanaheim found trace evidence of external influences on your brother’s mind.  There was no current influence being exercised; but it appeared that outside power was used to corrupt his mind.  They believed it happened after Loki fell into the Void and that it coincides with the state of his body when he was returned after the battle in Midgard.”

“What are you saying?”  Thor asked.

“I’m saying, it is possible that your brother was coerced by outside means into attacking Midgard.  The healers think that torture may have been involved.”

“I have oft felt that Loki’s actions on Midgard were ill planned and unlike him; even after what happened before his fall.  Is there any indication of who was involved?”

“The healers say that it is ancient magic.  Your brother will not speak about it.”  Frigga said sadly 

“What of Loki’s soul mark?”

“It is not my place to tell you the content of Loki’s soul mark.  However, I believe he met his soul mate on Midgard.  I believe that the meeting did not go well; I think once his mind was clear of influence, the gravity of this weighed on him.  Without proper healing intervention, his actions became desperate and he harmed his body in attempt to destroy the words of his soul mate.”  Frigga replied.

“That is most unfortunate.  I am glad that news of Hela could bring him some joy.” 

“It was a well-placed distraction for him.”

“Mother, I must be off.  We continue to search for the Captain’s friend.  I hope to be able to send more news when we have it.”  Thor said.  He made his farewells and then headed out to the Bifrost to return to Midgard.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don’t know the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania is a prime location for couples honeymooning or on romantic retreats. Some resorts have rooms with heart-shaped or champagne glass shaped hot tubs and other such romantic amenities. Bucky and Hela will be staying in the “Cove Fantasy Room” of the Cove Haven Resort.
> 
> A frame of reference for you, for the mental state of Loki in his cell before his self-harm. This video of samples of unused footage from Thor: The Dark World. http://youtu.be/gDMUUgiFPPE   
> Specifically the still shot at the 2:17 mark.   
> But the footage from 2:13-2:25 is good for getting an idea of mind set.
> 
> Thanks for all the comments, kudos, subscriptions and bookmarks.  
> Let me know what you think! Comments are highly motivating.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter for you and we cover some time in this one. I wanted to get this out sooner but it took a while to come together. So we are going to have a background slash relationship in this story, just to give people a heads up. There may be accompanying sexy times with that also (but not in this chapter).

Natasha received a call from one of her contacts in Russia.  A Hydra base was torched about an hour ago.  No sign of who was involved anywhere at the scene.

“We are going to assume that if it wasn’t one of our hits, it was Bucky and Hela.  We know that they can teleport to different locations so it’s feasible that they are hitting targets overseas.  We need to determine if there is a discernible pattern to their hits, it we can predict where they might hit next, we can head them off and bring them in.”  Steve told the group in the conference room.

“Then, what?”  Tony asked. 

“What do you mean?” Steve asked.

“What happens after you bring them in?”  Tony asked.

Steve just looked at Tony for a few moments and then shook his head.  “I don’t know.  Make sure they are okay.  Tell them they don’t have to do this alone.”

“Make sure he isn’t the Winter Soldier?”  Natasha asked pointedly.

“I just don’t want to lose him again.”  Steve said as he slumped into a chair.

“We’ve got your back on this, Cap.  You just got to realize that if you do find him, it might be more difficult to bring him in than you think.  He might not know you as well as you think he does, right now.”  Clint said.

“We’ve been combing through the programming files and the research that Hydra did.  It’s only helping him to be close to his soul mate.  So that’s a positive.”  Bruce told him.

Steve nodded his head and thank the team for their continued support.

Thor made his way into the conference room.

“My friends.”  Thor said in greeting, looking weary.

“How is your brother?”  Steve asked.

“Not well I am afraid.  It seems that when the mind healers were aiding him, they found traces of external control on his mind.  They don’t believe he was acting under his free will when he was on Midgard.  They said this would be consistent with the state of his body when he was returned to Asgard.”  He explained.

“What do you mean?”  Bruce asked.

“They believe he might have been tortured during the time between falling from Asgard and his arrival on Midgard.  But Loki will not speak of it.  My mother thinks he met his soul mate during the invasion and it did not go well, which led to him trying to destroy his soul mark.”  Thor answered.

The team sat quietly as they digested this information.

“Have you seen the footage of when he came through that portal?  He looked like shit.”  Tony threw out.  “Jarvis, how are we on getting the audio clear on that video?”

“Sir, I believe it has been cleared and is ready for viewing.”  The AI answered.

“We’ll let’s see it.”  Tony said as the footage from Loki arriving filled the screen in the room. 

The group watched as Loki appeared and started reigning havoc onto the facility.  Clint sat with his face trained to his lap, no looking at the footage.  He visibly cringed when Loki told him he had heart.  Natasha looked over at him, eyes widened but quickly cooled her features.  Tony paused the video just as Loki told Fury that he came to make the world free of freedom.

“Look at the circles under his eyes, his skin looks clammy, he’s sweaty.  And did you notice how he looked at the scepter when Fury told him to put it down, like he wasn’t sure what it was.”  Tony pointed out.  He resumed the video.  

Clint cringes again when he hears his first words spoken to Loki.  _“Sir, Director Fury is stalling.  This place is about to blow and drop a hundred feet a rock on us.  He means to bury us.”_   He flinches when he hears the shot that he landed on Fury.

Tony plays the video in slow motion.  “See here when he stumbles walking out, that one agent tries to steady him.  There might be some validity to their viewpoint, big guy.” 

Thor nodded his head and looked contemplative.  Clint got up and head out of the conference room without word.

“We’ll meet back here in 2 hours for briefing for our next target.”  Steve told the group and they adjourned their meeting. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Clint Barton can see better from afar.  It was the keen sight that saw something in the Black Widow.  When he was sent to kill her, he made a different call and brought her in.  Natasha had asked him later what it was that he saw.  He told her that he saw that she was ready for her second chance, she just needed someone to offer it.  When he took her to his mission handler, Phi Coulson, her life would be changed forever. 

_Coulson looked at her and said, “This is breaking so many mission parameters.  You better make this worth the paperwork I’m going to have to fill out.”_

_She froze for a moment at the realization that this unassuming man in an impeccable suit had just spoken the words neatly printed around her ankle._

_“I can promise you, I’m worth much more than paperwork to you,_ _Дорогая моя_ _.”  She replied._

_His eyes widened ever so much and then a small smirk appeared on his face.  “Miss Romanoff, you've just added 3 more forms to my growing pile.”  He said as he led her away._

 

She made her way to Barton’s floor. Years before, he had shown her his soul mark with a bit of pride. He had pinned a lot of his self-worth on those three words on his thigh. It was a way for him to rise above the shambles that was his life before he was pulled into SHIELD. It was a hope that he held on to. There was change in him since the invasion and now she knew why.  

She knocked on the door to his room and he called for her to enter. He was sitting on the edge of his bed.

 “Did you know the whole time?’ She asked him.

“Yeah.” Clint responded with a shaky voice.

“Are you going to talk to Thor?” 

“Yeah.” He answered.

She squeezed his shoulder and he leaned into her. 

 

 

 

* * *

 

Clint entered Thor and Jane’s floor after Jarvis had told him that Thor was available to converse with him.

“Hawk, my friend, you wanted to speak with me.” Thor greeted Clint as he made his way to the living room.

“Yeah, I did.”  Clint said as he sat in one of the arm chairs.  Thor sat across from him on the couch.  “It’s about Loki.”

“Barton, I am much grieved over how it was that you came into being my brother’s thrall.  The recording that was shown was difficult to watch.”

“Yes, it was.”  Clint answered.  “That’s part of why I’m here.”  He took a deep breath and steadied his voice.  “You see those words that Loki said to me before he put the scepter to my chest…those words are my soul mark.”

Thor had a look of shock on his face.  “That means…”

Clint cut him off.  “That means Loki’s soul mark isn't very good.”

“This is why he hid it.  I had not even known that he had a soul mark until I was called back.  My mother had seen it and I believe Hela has probably also seen it.”  Thor sighed and looked down.  “I am sorry, Clint.  I am sorry that it has turned out like this.”

“I know, man and I appreciate it.”  Clint responded.  “I do think, after everything you told us, what we saw on that video, and what I know…I think…I want to talk to Loki, if it’s possible.”

Clint interjected as Thor began to show protest.  “I don’t want to cause him more problems.  I know he’s having a rough time.”  Clint held his hands up placating.  “You don’t know me that well, but one thing that you will find is that I know the importance of second chances.  My best friend is proof of that.  I take them very seriously.  I want to talk to Loki.”

Thor thought for a moment and nodded his head.  “Very well, Clint, I shall make arrangements for us to journey to Asgard after we have concluded this series of missions for the Captain.” 

 

* * *

 

 

James and Hela made it back to their room after destroying the third chair. 

They had driven to this location at the mountain resort about a week prior.  Hela had fabricated identification for them and they fit in as an average couple checking into this establishment for some time to themselves.  They made assurances that they would not be disturbed in their room and the staffing indicated how to use the do not disturb feature on their door and informed them that fresh linens would be left outside their door.  They had booked a 2 week stay in this place; that was their time table for destroying all of the chairs used to wipe the memory from James’s mind. 

Destroying the chairs had been cathartic for James, he seemed at ease and calm after each mission.  They had showered and now were sharing lazy kisses as they relaxed in their bed.  The bed was odd in its roundness but was still lush. 

They had continued to pleasure each other using their hands and mouths since that first time.  But, Hela yearned for James and wanted all of him.  James had started to initiate more sensual activities between them which was a big step.  He was starting to feel more like a person and less like a weapon each day.  She did not want dubious consent from him when they had sex for the first time together.  She wanted him ready to feel everything they would feel when they finally made love.  He had agreed to travel off-world with her.  They would spend a week in Alfheim at the Festival of Love (and Fertility)…not that the fertility part was important to them…not yet, at least.  But being away from Hydra and the pressures of interacting with his friend would be good and James could focus on being James and they could focus on being James and Hela, soul mates.      

Hela leaned up on the headboard of the bed with the laptop on her lap.  She continued to use the internet to explore Midgardian way of life in order to help her and James become more acclimated to the world they were currently living in.  She found this feature called Wikipedia to be a most excellent concordance for all things concerning Midgardian culture.  If she did not understand what something was that she came across, she merely looked it up in the Wikipedia and she was able to glean a definition or understanding about the topic.  The Google was also immensely helpful in finding information on topics.

“I think I prefer the 60s music the most.”  She told James.  “Although there is this one song on the 70s CD called ‘O-oh Child’ that I have heard before.  I was conversing with a strange man when I was on the other side of the galaxy.  He was Midgardian although he referred to himself as being Terran.  He had a device that played music but it wasn’t a CD.  He had this song among others, which he let me listen to through this mechanism that fit around the head and onto one’s ears.  He was quite peculiar but I remember the music being entertaining.”  She chuckled to herself and then leaned down to give James slow, easy kiss.  “Anyway, I was looking for other music by this minstrel group named ‘The Monkees’ because I really enjoy this song on the CD called ‘Daydream Believer’  The Google sent me to a place called Youtube.  Apparently, this group allows their daily lives to be recorded and shown to the populous.  I watched several of these episodes.  This group of young men is most absurd.  The situations they find themselves in are hardly believable.  However, their music is featured so I find myself tolerating their antics.” 

“Seems kind of odd, having your life video recorded for others to watch.  Life was simpler in a lot of ways before I went into the war.  It was hard but simpler.”  James said thoughtfully.  “I remember taking art classes.  I took them with Steve.”  He told her.

“You were an artist?”  She asked.

“I think I might have been.  Or at least learning about art.  Maybe that’s how I can draw the layouts of the bases so well.”  He replied.   

“Do you think you want to do something like that again?” 

“I don’t know.  It’s hard to think about anything other than the mission.  Sometimes I feel like I’m doing the same thing I did before, I just changed whose missions I was completing.”  He replied.

“I think when we are finished destroying this organization, you should spend some time thinking about what you want to do and not what you need to do.”  She told him.

“What about you?  What do you want to do?” 

“I want to be with you.”  She answered.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Ten days had passed since the base in Russia had been hit.  In that time two more Hydra bases had been hit overseas; one in Prague, one in London

The Avengers were clearing out a base outside of Atlanta when Tony called Natasha over to the console he was working from. 

“Hey Widow, you want to confirm that I’m seeing what I’m seeing here.”

Natasha sat down and watch what Tony was looking at.  “It appears that a large sum of money is disappearing out of Hydra’s ledger.”

“Yep and it’s going into an off shore account, which is then being transferred around to several more accounts, before getting completely lost.  It’s like it just disappears.”  Tony said.

“You think it’s Barnes?”  She asked.

“Don’t know who else it would be.  It looks like they’re at a base outside of Berlin.”  He answered.  “If they have the capability to do this, then they just increased their resources, tenfold.”

They called Cap over and explained to him what was going on.  “Can you keep trying to track this at the Tower?”  He asked.

“I already got Jarvis on it.  We’ll see if we can close up some of these gaps and trace it to its end.”  Tony said.

 

* * *

 

This would be their biggest target that they were going to hit.  The base had twice the number of operatives as the other bases they annihilated.  This was the final chair to be destroyed and then this mission would be complete. 

They appeared in a far corner of the lower floor of the base but they could hear the commotion going on above.  It sounded as if the base was already under attack. 

Hela cast a spell that would temporarily shroud them as they teleported up to where the commotion was taking place.

When they popped in, they saw that the base was indeed under attack.  The Avengers had converged on the base and were taking out operatives and equipment.  Hela looked to James. 

“Continue with our mission parameters.  Treat the Avengers as non-hostile unless they engage otherwise.”  James said.

Hela nodded her head in assent.  They moved forwarded in their usual formation. 

 

* * *

 

Hawkeye almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.  The Winter Soldier was moving across the opening taking out agents left and right.  Beside him was a slightly shorter version of the same uniform only with an Asgardian twist in the upper body armor.  Bullets seems to bounce off an invisible shield around them. 

“Uh Cap, your buddy’s here.”  Clint said through the comm.

“Say again, Hawkeye.”  Steve replied.

“I have visual on the Winter Soldier and his side kick, coming across the clearing heading for the main building.”  Hawkeye explained.

“They’re out in the open?”  Steve asked.

“Roger, that.  I think they have some sort of shield around them.  They aren't getting shot up." Clint answered.

“Are we treating them as a friendly?”  Natasha asked.

“As long as they are only engaging Hydra agents, yes.  If they show hostile force to you, engage as necessary.”  Steve replied.

Just then Steve caught sight of Bucky approaching the entrance to the building.  He was flanked on his right side by what he assumed was his girl.  He thought he made eye contact with him, but Bucky had those tinted goggles on so he couldn't be sure.  All of the operatives had been neutralized on the outside.

“Proceed into the base when your area is secured.”  Cap said to the team.

 

* * *

 

The Avengers had yet to make any sort of contact with either of them.  James was glad for that, he needed to stay focused on this mission.  This was the last chair that needed to be destroyed and then they could take some time to decompress before starting again.  He didn't know if he wanted Steve to see him like this.  He put those thoughts out of his mind as they entered into the building.

Hela was the first to engage agents in hand-to-hand.  She kicked one of the agents into a wall just as Iron Man had made his way into the area where they were fighting.

Iron blasted two agents with his repulsors and continued to move through the area.

James neutralized two more agents when he heard the Iron Man give their location to whoever he was connected to on his comm link.

Their priority was the chair, so they would find that first, before they proceeded to clear the computers. 

They went in a different direction than the Iron Man was heading.  They were able to take out the Hydra operatives from a distance as they moved through the corridors.

They reached the room where the chair was housed.  There wasn’t much else in the room.  There was a large window in the wall that gave a view into the hallway.  Hela stood in the door way keeping watch while he went for the chair.  She picked off a couple of agents that made their way into the area. 

James set to work.  He ripped off the metal arm that held the apparatus that sent the electrical charges into his brain.  He tore the pieces of this contraption apart. 

While he was doing this Hawkeye had shown up in the hallway outside the room.  He was watching through the window.  Hela let him pass when she realized he wasn't a Hydra agent.  She heard him call his team through their communication device and let them know where they were.  Hela was not going to let any of them into that room until James was done and gave the word.

 

* * *

 

Clint watched Bucky Barnes destroyed some crazy looking torture chair.  It was probably something Hydra had used on him.  Every so often he would sneak a peek at the Winter Soldier’s side kick…his soul mate…Loki’s daughter… _his_ soul mate’s daughter.  Damn, Loki has a kid…a grown kid.  Does he have any other kids?  He stopped his mind from rambling and focused on what was going on.  The side kick…Hela was keeping guard but he could tell that she was eyeing him up too, assessing him.  He made no moves to interfere with what the Soldier was doing.  Her face was covered with her replica Winter Soldier gear, but he could tell through the goggles that they made eye contact a couple of times.  She made no move to speak to him and he didn't know what to say to her. 

 

* * *

 

 

The next thing James tore off the chair were the restraints.  He yelled out as he destroyed the rest of the chair.  He pulled the whole thing out of the floor where it was bolted and proceeded to pound on the useless metal. 

By the time he was done Natasha and Steve had gathered outside the room and watched James decimate the device that tortured him for decades.  None had said a word to Hela as she stood holding James’s Colt M4A1 rifle that was fitted with a grenade launcher.

James sat panting on the floor for a few minutes.  He got to his feet and walked to Hela.  “It’s ready.”  He told her.  She handed him his gun and turned to the remnants of the machine.  She grew a ball of green flames in her hand and threw it onto the demolished ruins.  The green fire was contained to the chair pieces; it burned bright for a few moments and then extinguished itself.  When the fire was gone all that was left were ashes.

James realized that the other Avengers were probably working with the computers within the facility.  They had taken care of their priority.  “We’re done here.”  He told Hela.  She walked up to him and fitted herself against him.

“Wait!”  Steve yelled as he ran into the room.

Hela stepped back and to the side.

“You don’t have to go, Bucky.  Not yet.”  He said.

James turned to look at Captain America…no Steve Rogers.  He removed his goggles and face mask and looked long into Steve face.

“I don’t think I can be who you’re looking for.”  James told him with an even tone.

“I—I think I know that.  I don’t want to lose you again.  You don’t have to do this alone.  We can help you….you two.”  He said as he gestured towards Hela.  Steve smiled at him.  “You found her.  You found your soul mate, Buck.”  Steve said. 

James nodded him head.  “I know that you’re my friend.  I’m not ready yet.  Things are still cloudy.  There are things that need to be finished.”  

Steve nodded his head, trying to contain his sadness.  He took a card from inside a pocket on his uniform.  “Here, take this before you go.  These are secured ways you can contact me if you want to for any reason or you need me, or us.”

James took the card from Steve and nodded his head.  He looked to Hela and she stepped back into him.  He wrapped his arm around her waist and in an instant they were gone.

 

* * *

 

When they were gone, Steve sank to his knees, breathing heavy.

Natasha came and put a hand on his shoulder.  “You knew this was not going to be easy.  I think this went better than we were expecting and you gave him a way to contact you.”

“I know.  I just—I wish—I don’t know.  I just want to make sure he’s okay.  I just want my friend back.”  Steve said sadly.

“You have to accept that he isn't the same person.  And he said as much.  You need to be ready for that if he wants to have contact with you.”  She told him.

‘I know.  It’s hard, but I know that.” Steve said.

 

* * *

 

When they got back their room, James was physically and emotionally drained.  He sank onto the floor and leaned against the bed in their room.  Hela put his weapons away.  She stripped him out of his uniform and got undressed too.  She led, well, mostly carried him over to the tub of hot bubbling water in their room.  It was a most ingenious creation of the Midgardians and resembled the hot springs that could be found on Asgard.  She eased him into the water and climbed in beside him.  Shivers had started to rack his body and she pulled him close and held him tight. 

He wrapped his arms around her as he sunk into the water.  “That was hard.”

“I know it was.  I didn't expect to see them there.”  She said.

“I know that Steve wanted us to go with him, but I couldn't…not yet.” 

“He seemed to accept that and didn't push.  He gave you a way to contact him when you are ready.”  She replied.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”  He told her.

“I don’t think you need to have all of your memories back before you see him.  Perhaps being around him will help you heal more.” 

“It’s something to think about.”  He told her with a deep sigh.

“Let us rest this evening and then in the morning we will prepare to head to Alfheim.  The time away will do us both good.”  She said as she worked her fingers through the tangles in his hair.

“Yeah.  I think so too.”  He closed his eyes focusing on the warmth of the water, the soothing pulse of jets and the heartbeat of his soul mate as he laid against her chest.  “I love you.”  He said softly.

“I love you, as well, sváss minn.”  Hela kissed his head and held him tighter.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Дорогая моя: my dear  
> sváss minn: my beloved
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter: Clint talks to Loki and James and Hela have some fun and sexy times while on Alfheim.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A really long chapter. I wanted to get this done sooner, but the creative flow didn't really get going when I wanted it too. This will probably be the only chapter that is this length.
> 
> This chapter contains sex between our main pairing...Yay!
> 
> Also please note that I added too more tags to this story.
> 
> Enjoy!

The next morning James and Hela began packing up their hotel room.  Clothes and other non-valuables would be stored in their car, which they would be parking off-site at an overnight parking garage where it should go unnoticed.  Hela put the weapons, their laptop and money in the astral pocket where she toted her other possessions that she carried with her.  She told James that they would obtain realm appropriate clothing once they were on Alfheim.  They would be stopping in the palace first to talk to her uncle.

 

“So this is like teleporting, but we are going to a different planet?”  James asked her.

“It’s a similar concept, but not quite the same.  We’re going to be walking through the paths between worlds; it will feel similar to teleporting.”  Hela answered. 

“Is this something your father taught you how to do?”  James inquired.

“Yes.  He once was known as the Skywalker.  He is well versed in traveling between worlds and instructed me in the practice.”  She replied.

When everything was secured, she molded herself against James’s body, feeding her arms through his, so she could wrapped them around him. 

A moment later they appeared in the outermost gardens of the royal palace in Alfheim.

The gardens were full of blooms that James had never seen before.  The whole area was lush and green.  James intertwined his fingers with Hela’s as they strolled through the area.  The fragrance from the flowers filled the air as they walked by.  James felt calm settle over him as he breathed in the sweet aroma. 

“I loved spending time in the gardens, running around as a child and then later, just sitting and enjoying the peace.  My father would read for hours under that tree over there.”  Hela said as she pointed to something that resembled a flowering Dogwood tree.

As they meandered through the greenery, James caught sight of what he assumed was the palace.  It was large but didn’t seem to be overwhelming.  It was a white with gold friezes adorning the structure.  It wasn’t tall but it spanned over a large amount of landed.  The gardens turned into a courtyard as they approached the palace.  There were varying water features around the courtyard.  He could see people tending to the plants in the area and others walking around the outside of palace, seemingly on a stroll.  When the made it up to the entrance of the palace, the guards looked them over for a moment before recognition dawned on their faces; faces that were creamy white with eyes that were a light purple color.  They both had baby fine light blond hair that was cropped short but had enough length to hang loose around their faces.  They were slight of build and both looked like something from a magazine rather than palace guards. 

“Princess Hela, welcome.”  The one of left greeted.  They both bowed and opened the doors to them.

“Greetings.”  Hela said as they made their way into the palace.

They made their way down a white hallway, that wasn’t stark but soothing to the eye.  Upon approaching a room they paused as Hela addressed the guards.  These guards has similar builds to the ones outside.  One had crystal blue eyes with almost white hair and the other had light green eyes with auburn hair.  He caught sight of that one’s ears because of the cut of his hair.  They had a soft point to them.

“Please let the king know that his niece awaits him in his sitting room.”  Hela told them. 

They entered the room and Hela led him to a sofa near a large window. 

“Did that one guard have pointed ears?”  James asked.

“The majority of the population of Alfheim are light elves.  They all have similar body features, including the pointed ears.  Frey is from Vannaheim, so he will look different.  He is my grandmother’s brother.  Alfheim is host to a great many travelers from other realms, especially during this week’s festival.

They waited a few more minutes and then heard footsteps approaching.  They stood up when, who he assumed was the king, entered the room.  The man smiled at them both and Hela stepped forward.

“Hela, my dear.  It is good to see you again.”  Frey leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

“Yes, Uncle.  It is good to be here.”  She said as she hugged the man.  James wasn’t expecting this image when Hela told him that the king was her grandmother’s brother.  He looked to be in his early 40s with short blond hair.  His face was free from facial hair.  He had bright blue eyes.  He was built more like the Asgardian Thor, which he had seen pictures of.  He was wearing wine red robes trimmed in gold. 

When their embrace broke apart, Hela turned towards him.  “Uncle, this is James Barnes of Midgard, my soulmate.”

Frey stepped towards James with a genuine smile on his face.  James extended his right hand to Frey.  Frey closed the distance and grasped his hand.  He placed his other hand on James’s flesh shoulder and squeezed, studying James’s face with kind eyes.

James was surprised that his instinct to back away and take a defensive position has not kicked in.  He still felt the calmness that he felt when they first walked through the gardens.  But the Soldier did not perceive Frey as a threat.  Any tension left in his body eased as he relaxed into Frey’s hold. 

“It’s so very good to meet you, James.”  Frey told him.

“Thank you.  It’s good to meet you.  Hela talked about you and this place a lot.”  He replied.

Frey turned back to Hela.  “So, do I take your presence here to mean that you plan to partake in this year’s festivities?”

“Yes, we plan to stay the whole week.”  Hela responded with a smile.

“Excellent.  We can have rooms made up for you, here, if you like.”  Frey’s smile grew wider.

“Actually, I was thinking that we could use one of the hillside villas.”  Hela said questioningly. 

Frey nodded.  “That can be arranged.  Shall we obtain apparel for you for the week?”

“Yes, thank you.”  Hela said as she took James hand and followed Frey out of the room.

The feeling of peace continued to flow through James as he was led to a room where his measurements were taken.  Hela walked through the area with an elf and pointed out various styles of clothing and colors of fabric in what James conclude was the men’s area of this layout.  She then wandered over to the opposite side of the room and picked out several things as the elf walking with her made note.

They made their way back over to James with a set of clothing for him. 

“I will have the rest delivered to your villa, your highness.”  The elf said to Hela.

“Thank you.”  She turned to James.  “Here is some clothing for you to change into now.  We can make our way to our villa to get settled before the evening merriment begins.”

She showed James to a dressing area and he began to change his clothes.  He pulled on grey soft leather pants that had lacing at the top.  Next, he put on a long sleeved tunic, made of some sort of soft fabric.  It was dark blue and had a nice fit around both of his arms.  The collar was wide and came to a v-neckline.  He pulled on boots that were soft black leather that came to his knee.  He felt like he should be in that Errol Flynn Robin Hood picture he saw with Stevie a while ago.  _‘Where did that come from?’_ he thought to himself.  He shook his head a couple of times and took a deep breath.  He then stepped out into the open area where he saw Hela.  She was wearing a light green dress made of airy fabric that flowed around her body.  It had straps and the upper part of it hugged her body.  She smiled when she saw him.

 She walked over to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a soft kiss.  “I’m so glad you’re here with me.”

“I’m glad I’m with you, too.”  He said and then kissed her.

Hela led him out of the palace and to the stable.  “Have you ever ridden a horse before?” 

“Uh, no.”  He replied with a slight look of unease.

“Worry, not.  We shall share a horse.  I will enjoy your presence behind me as we ride.”

They mounted the horse and made their away from the palace and towards the rolling, green hills they could see not too far into the distance. 

When they got to the area, Hela led them to a small cottage nestled against a hill.  They got off the horse and made their way inside.  The sitting room contained among other things, a sofa that faced a huge window with a beautiful view of a lake.  Off to one side of the sitting room was a small kitchen area.  There was a bedroom with a lush bed and an opulent bathroom with a huge soaking tub.  The cottage was decorated in pastels and exuded a peaceful atmosphere.

 

“We can spend some time here before we make our way to the revelry this evening.”  Hela said as they finished exploring the cottage. 

 

“It’s quiet here.”  James said.

“It may not be all that quiet, once the festival kicks off.”  Hela said with a smile.

James looked around the place, his viewing lingering on the bathroom.

Knowing he wouldn’t make the suggestion on his own, but that he often enjoyed soaking in hot water; Hela spoke up.  “We could make use of the tub in there.  I don’t think it has the jets and bubbling features of our previous abode; but I bet the water feels divine.”

James nodded his head and looked over to her with a smile. 

Hela started drawing the bath and then they took turns undressing each other and sharing soft kisses.

They settled into the water with James against the back of the tub and Hela settled against him with his legs on either side of her.  She had put lavender oil in the tub and they relaxed into the water.  James trailed light kisses against her shoulders and neck.  They switched positions after a while.  Hela pulled James back against her.  He sunk down lower and rested his head on her shoulder.  She trailed her fingers over his arms and chest and then hugged him close to her.

“I love you.”  He told her as he closed his eyes in relaxation. 

“I love you.”  She said as she turned his head and pressed their lips together.

They stayed like that for several minutes, gently kissing each other, relishing the feel of their bodies close together.

When the water started to cool they got out of the tub and toweled each other off.  They redressed in their elven clothing and made their way out of the cottage and back towards the center of the village-like city.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

After the Bifrost lit up and deposited Fandral on top the landing pad of Avengers Tower, Thor went out to greet him.  Clint trailed after him.  

 

“Fandral, it is good to see you so soon.”  Thor told his friend.

“The same, as well, Thor.  I bring you news of Princess Hela.  She is on Alfheim for the duration of Frey and Freya’s festival.  King Frey sent word that she has a Midgardian with her that she introduced as her soul mate.”

“Loki thought that she would be attending.”  Thor responded.

“Also, Thor.  Your request has been granted.  The Midgardian you inquired about may speak to Loki.  You may bring him to Asgard at your convenience, however, he must meet with the Queen first, before he can speak with Loki.”  Fandral explained.

Thor turned to Clint with an inquiring look on his face.

Clint spoke up.  “I can talk to your mom first.  That’s not a problem.” 

“Let us tell the team of our journey.  Fandral, join us.”  Thor said.

“Thor, I apologize but after I deliver the message Heimdall is transporting me to Alfheim.”  Fandral said with a smirk. 

Thor matched his smirk.   “Of course you will not be absent from the fest if we are not otherwise engaged.  Enjoy, my friend.  May your cock have as much stamina as you have bravery on the battlefield.” Thor clapped his hand on Fandral’s shoulder with a great chuckle and bid him farewell. 

Fandral called for Heimdall.  Once the Bifrost carried Fandral away, Thor and Clint went back into the Tower.

Thor asked Jarvis to have the team meet them in the common area.  Once everyone arrived Thor began the conversation.

“My friends!  Fandral brought news of Hela and Sgt Barnes.  The King of Alfheim, who is our uncle, sent word that Hela has arrived in his realm for the Festival of Love and Fertility.  She has with her a Midgardian that she introduced to Frey as her soulmate.  They will be on Alfheim for the duration of the week-long festival.”

“Is that a place where we can go and check on them?”  Steve asked.

“Under any other circumstances, I would say that, yes, we could attend and seek them.  However, the Hawk and I have business that we must attend to on Asgard.  It would not be a trip that you could make without me in your accompaniment.”

“Uh, what business could Hawkeye possibly have on Asgard?”  Tony asked.

Thor turned to Clint.

Clint was quiet for a moment.  He took a deep breath.  “I’m going to talk to Loki.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”  Steve asked.  Tony and Bruce has a look of surprise on their faces.  Natasha nodded her head at Clint, giving confirmation to his decision.

“Yeah, I do, Cap.”  Clint said and took another deep breath.  “You see…Loki is my soulmate.”

If it was possible to call jinx on a facial expression, it would have worked for Tony and Bruce, whose mouths dropped open and eyes widened at the same time.

“Wow.”  Steve said.  “Have you known long?”

“I’ve known since he looked at me in that underground base and told me that I had heart.”

“Damn, Loki’s got a really shitty soul mark, then.”  Tony said as he shook his head.

Clint resignedly nodded his head.

Steve got up from where he was sitting and approached Clint.  He gave his shoulder a squeeze.  “What are you going to say to him?”

“I’m not really sure.  I just know I can’t let this go on anymore without some kind of solution or closure.”

“We’ll be here, if you need us.”  Steve told Clint.  “When are you guys leaving?”

“As soon as possible.  We would like to go while we are in a lull between missions.”  Thor answered.

Bruce came up and shook each of their hands.  “Have a safe journey.”

“Good Luck.  I’ll have a drink waiting for you when you get back.”  Tony said as he toasted Clint with the tumbler of scotch he had in his hand.

Natasha got up and kissed Clint on the cheek and gave Thor a nod.

“Are you ready, Clint?”  Thor asked. 

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”  Clint said.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The trip on the Bifrost was the craziest roller coaster ride Clint’s ever been on.  He was surprising sure-footed when they landed.  He looked up and saw an imposing figure dressed in gold. 

“Welcome to Asgard.”  Heimdall greeted.

“Thanks.”  Clint said.

“I sent for horses when I saw that you were planning on making the journey now.”  Heimdall told Thor.

“I thank you for your foresight.  Come Barton, we shall make our way to the palace and seek an audience with my mother.”  Thor said.

It had been years since Clint had been on a horse but the years of experience he had in the circus didn’t fade away and so he readily mounted the steed after greeting it with several strokes his face and mane.  He followed Thor along the rainbow bridge.  Looking around the area, the first thing Clint thought was that Asgard looked like it came out of a storybook.  The palace straight ahead of them was covered in gold and soared high above everything else in the area.  As they approached the palace two stable boys took the horses from Thor and Clint after they dismounted.

Thor led him through the halls of the palace.  It was much like he thought the inside of a medieval palace would look like.  They made their way through what Clint assumed was the living area for the royal family.  They entered into a room with several places to sit and a fireplace.  Sitting in a chair next to the hearth was a woman dressed in light blue.  She had long brown hair with braids woven around her head.  She sat down he thought was a cup of tea and rose. 

“Thor, it’s good to see you.”  She said as she hugged Thor.  He gave her cheek a kiss as he pulled away.

“Mother, it is always good to be in your presence.  I bring to you Clint Barton, one of my Midgardian Shield-Brothers, and Loki’s soul mate.”  Thor gestured towards Clint.  “Clint, this is my mother, Frigga.”

Frigga turn towards Clint and greeted him with a warm smile and kind eyes.  “Clint Barton, it is good to finally make your acquaintance.”  She held her hand out to him.

He awkwardly took her and gave it a light squeeze.  “Uh, thanks.  You too.”  He said slightly thrown off by the warmth radiating from her.

“Thor, I would like you leave us, please.  I wish like to speak with Clint, privately.”  Frigga told Thor.

“Of course, Mother.  I will be at the training grounds, seeking out my friends.”  Thor bid them goodbye and left the room.

“Come sit with me, Clint.”  Frigga said.  She took Clint’s hand and led him to a sofa.  “Tell me, why do you wish to speak with Loki?”  Frigga did not let go of his hand but rested on his leg, with hers still clasped around it. 

“I…I just, when I heard about what he did to his soul mark and what Thor said that your doctors said about his body and his mind…I felt like I should talk to him. I guess if anyone should talk to him, it should be me.”  Clint kept his eyes trained to a spot on the carpet out in front of him.

Frigga squeezed his hand and nodded.  “I’ve seen Loki’s soul mark.  I assume that you said that after he had enthralled you with the mind gem.  Tell me, what did he say to you?  What is on your soul mark?”

Clint looked up into Frigga’s eyes.  Suddenly his eyes welled with tears.  “He said, ‘you have heart.’”  He choked out.

“Oh, sweetheart.  Why the tears?”  She said as she pulled Clint’s head into her shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

Without a second thought, Clint wrapped his arms around Frigga’s waist and clung to her.  “My whole life, whenever things were rough, whenever I was alone and there was no one who loved me or cared about me…I always knew that one day, someone would see something special about me.  Someone would see that I have heart.  And then Loki came and he saw me, grabbed me, and said it and then he took my will away.”  Clint sobbed into Frigga.

She held him close and carded her fingers through his hair.

“Why did he do that? I knew that something was wrong.  I couldn’t break free, I tried.”  Clint continued to sob.

“You did the best you could.  We don’t know why things happen the way they do.  We have to make the best out of the situations we are presented with.  Your soul mark helped you persevere when you were younger; when you didn’t know who your soul mate was, it gave you hope.  Loki recognized that you had heart as soon as he met you, as soon as he touched you.  Maybe when he saw you, it gave _him_ hope.”  She pulled Clint up to face her.  She used her thumbs to wipe the tears from his eyes.  “What will you do with the hope you had for all those years, sweetheart?  Will you give it to someone who needs it?”

Clint took a shaky breath in.  “I think that’s why I needed to come here.”

Clint looked at the wet spots he left on Frigga’s dress.  “I’m sorry about the mess I made on you.”

“Don’t you worry one bit about that.”  She said to his as she took both of his hands in her and squeezed them. 

“I think you might remind me of my mother.  She died when I was 6.”  He said quietly.

She reached up and stroked his cheek.  “I will always be here for you, if you need me.”

“You just met me.”  He said with disbelief. 

“You are my Loki’s soul mate.  Whatever happens, you are special to me.”  She told him.  “Now, let me call for some refreshments for us and I will tell you about Loki’s current state.”

 A few minutes later a servant came in with a tray filled with finger foods and cold juice.  Frigga encourage Clint to partake in the refreshments.

Frigga took a sip of her drink and began to tell Clint about Loki.  “His self-inflicted wounds have healed, but he is still housed in the healing chambers.  He receives regular doses of medication to help with the state of his mind.  He has to be reminded to eat but has been doing better with consuming food without being prompted continually.  He will speak to me; but will say little to anyone else.  He will not talk of the time between his fall from the Bifrost and his arrival on Midgard.  He is plagued with nightmares when he sleeps, so different spells are used on him to provide for a dreamless sleep or to calm him before he sleeps.  He does not know of your request to see him or that you are here today.”

“What do you think his reaction will be to seeing me?”  Clint asked.

“I’m not sure.  I think he might be fearful.  He knows that he inflicted great pain upon you.”  She answered.

They had finished their refreshments and there were no visible signs of Clint’s earlier distress.

“I think it’s time, Clint.  Let me take you to Loki.”  Frigga said as they rose and made their way out of the sitting room. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

James and Hela arrived in the center of the village-city.  It looked like a street fair with vendors, food and musicians.  There were a variety of people about, some that looked like they were Aesir or Vanir, plenty of elves and other types of people that James had never seen before. 

 

James’s stomach rumbled as they caught the aroma of some sort of deliciousness. 

“I am famished.  Let’s find something to eat.”  Hela told him as they wandered over to the food vendors.  They selected a platter that contained a variety of roasted meats and vegetables and made their way to a seating area to enjoy their meal. 

As they finished people began to gather around the area where a bonfire would stay lit for the week of the festival.  Hela and James made their way over to the area.

The crowd began to cheer loudly when Frey and his twin sister Freya made their way to the elevated area in front of the crowd.

Hela leaned in close to James’s ear and explained.  “Frey holds dominion over virility and fertility, he is said to be the one that bestows pleasure and peace upon the mortals.  Freya holds dominion over love and sexuality.  The whole festival is a celebration of love and fertility.”  James nodded his head in understanding.

“Greetings all.”  Frey called out to the crowd as a hush fell over them.  “It is with great joy that we ignite this year’s fire.  May this fire be a reminder of the fire within your heart.  May you seek and find love and happiness.  May you enjoy the pleasures of your heart and body whether it be for a day, a week or your whole lives.  This festival is not to honor us, but to honor you.  Eat, drink, dance…make love (chuckles from the crowd)…enjoy yourselves!”  Frey and Freya lifted the lighted torched together and tossed it into the wooded bonfire pile.  Flames ignited and the crowd let up a riotous cheer.  Music began playing and the crowd disbursed. 

Hela led James over to an area where people were lined in front of barrels of liquid.  “This drought that is being given out here will stave off pregnancy and the effects of the fertility rituals of the festival.  We both would partake in it and we would not have need to use a cock sleeve if we make love during our time here.  What do you think?”

“I can’t even begin to think about having children.  I think I’m definitely in favor of the drink.  And what the hell is a ‘cock sleeve’?”

Hela looked at him with squinted, confused eyes.  “I know that you have them on Midgard.  They are called something different though…Condoms, I think.” 

“Oh, rubbers.  Yeah we have those.  Cock sleeves...don’t think I’ve ever heard them called that before.”  James said with a laugh.

They made their way up to the front of the line and each got a cup of the drink.  They toasted their cups and drank it down.  It was sweet and tasted of berries.  They made their way back to the area around the bonfire.  They decided to get mugs of mead and proceed to watch a group of dancers performing for the crowd.  When the song was completed they cheered with the rest of the group.  They ate from a plate of small sweet cakes that they purchased and laughed as jesters entertained people with their antics. 

When a large crowd was gathering in a circle in the field behind the food vendors and the musicians were playing introductory bars to a song, Hela convinced James to join in.  Hela took hold of his metal hand and joined the circle.  James’s other hand was taken by an elven girl and Hela held hands with a taller dwarf.  The song began to kick in and the large circle of about 50 people began a sort of galloping skipping to the right.  They got about half way around the circle when the music changed and the people began their galloping skip in the other direction.  This is where the laughter began as people bumped into each other as some didn’t change directions in time.  They continued moving until the music changed again and the tempo sped up.  With each change of direction the speed of the song increased as the people changed direction back and forth.  Eventually as more and more people had problems keeping up, the circle dissolved into a mass of lively laughing as people helped each other up and patted others on the back. 

Out of breath, Hela and James made their way over to get a cool drink and found an empty bench close to the bonfire.  Eventually they wrapped their arms around each other.  The merriment continued around them but Hela and James were lost in each other’s arms.  Hela had her head on James’s shoulder as they watched the fire.  She began to kiss his neck, softly.  She parted her lips and used her tongue to taste his skin as she peppered kisses on him. She worked her way up his jaw and to his lips.  He crushed their mouths together in a heated kiss that he deepened as she rose up closer to him.  He pulled her into his lap and his tongue plunged into her mouth.  Her fingers tangled in his hair as she surged forward in the kiss; invading his mouth as he did hers.  She could feel him harden as she straddled his lap. 

“Let’s go back to the villa.”  He said as he temporarily broke the kiss.

She nodded.  “Yes.”  She said and she wrapped her arms around him.

They appeared on the bed in their cottage still embraced and locked in a kiss.  James slid his hands down her back and grabbed the bottom of her dress, lifting it over her head.  While the kiss was broken, Hela stripped James out of his tunic.  She pushed him back on the pillows as she took her underthings off and kicked off her shoes, then climbed on top of him, launching into another heated kiss.  She could feel his cock straining against the soft leather leggings he wore.  She ground her hips down on him, eliciting a moan from him.  She moved her body down and began kissing his chest.  She caressed one of his nipples with her tongue before taking it in her mouth and sucking on it.  She gave it a little tweak with her teeth before moving on to the other which she teased with the tip of her tongue at first before she sucked on it as she did with the other.  James moaned louder as she rubbed them both with her thumbs when she reached back up and kissed James’s lips again. 

While her mouth was occupied with his, James cupped her breasts in his hands.  Lightly twirling his fingers on her nipples until they were stiff.  She canted her hips against his as squeezed and twirled his fingers around those sweet tits.  He pulls her up higher against him so he could take each one in his mouth sucking and swirling his tongue around her hard nipples.  She moaned softly as he took his time teasing and sucking her breasts.

She pulled away and moved herself down his body.  She nuzzled her face against his hard cock straining to be free from the confines of his pants.  She undid the laces of the trousers and his thick cock sprang free already leaking.  She flicked her tongue against his slit and he moaned her name and his hips bucked up.  She pulled his boots and pants off quickly.  She grasped his dick firm and gave him a couple of strokes before she took him into her mouth.

He felt the warm wet heat of her mouth wrap around his cock.  She took his length all the way down and hollowed her checks and she slowly moved up the length of his shaft until came out of her mouth with pop.  She leaned back down and began to gently suckling the head of cock.  His moans were interspersed with her name and she continued her ministrations. 

She moved back up the length of his body and took his lips again.  “James, I’ve been waiting to feel you inside of me.  I don’t want to wait anymore.”

“Want you so much.”  James said breathlessly.

He held her hips as she straddled him and slowly lowered herself on to his thick, rock hard cock.  Once she had taken him all the way in she started to move her hips, but he held her still.  She looked up at him, puzzled. 

“Not yet.”  He said.  “This first.”  He angled his thumb against her and started rubbing her clit.  She gasped and her inner wall squeezed around his cock firmly planted inside her.  He groaned and his head fell back against the pillows but he continued to stroke her clit.  “Don’t move your hips yet.”  He said as he took his other hand off her hips and used those fingers to play with her nipples.  She threw her head back and moaned loudly as she grabbed his sides to hold herself in place.  He rubbed her clit faster now as he felt her get wetter around his cock.  She breathlessly said his name as he could feel her squeezing his dick more and more and he knew that she was close.  He didn’t let up as he rubbed her clit and her nipple at the same pace.  She came with a loud cry and his name tumbling from her lip as her inner walls squeezed and pulsated around his cock.

Once she came down from her orgasmic high, he rolled them over without removing his cock.  He hovered over her and began slowly and methodically thrusting his dick into her.  She barely held onto his biceps as his rolled his hips back and forth.  He lifted her legs and placed her ankles on his shoulders and leaned forward driving his cocked deeper into her.  She cried out as he hit her sensitive spot over and over again, thrusting faster and faster she came again harder than she had earlier.  He fucked her through her second orgasm.  He moved her legs so that they were wrapped around his waist.  He lifted her so that he could wrapped his arms around her and held her close and he drilled into her.  His pace quickened and she could feel his dick harden even more right before he came with a shout.  Fucking her at the same pace until he was spent.  He collapsed onto the bed next to her and he eased his softening cock out of her. 

They gave each other quick kisses and they panted trying to catch their breath.  They made their way to the shower.  By the time they got in the water, James was hard again.  It wasn’t the first time, James had shown his short refractory period.  They kiss beneath the spray of water.  James lifted Hela as she wrapped her legs around him.  He gently leaned her against the wall and pushed into her. They fucked slowly under the warm water of the shower.  Picking up his pace as they both neared their orgasms.  They came together as the water cascaded over them. 

They washed each other and then made their way out of the shower, toweling each other off.  They didn’t bother dressing, instead they climbed into bed nude and tangling their arms and legs around each other beneath the blankets as they drifted off into sleep.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Frigga led Clint past several rooms that looked like they could be examination rooms at a doctor’s office.  They made their way back to a room with the door closed.  Frigga opened it and walked in.  He could see a large window with a cushioned seat in front of it and a bed on the other side of the room with a figure laying in it.  There was a chair near the bed and couple of others near the cushioned seat by the window.

“Loki?  I’ve brought someone who wants to see you.”  Frigga said as she stepped further into the room.  Clint followed but stayed behind her.

“Who?”  Loki said softly, question clear in his tone.

“Come around here, dear.”  Frigga said as she turned to pull Clint beside her.

Loki’s eyes grew wide and he was clearly frightened when he saw Clint.

Clint’s heart clenched in his chest when he saw the look on Loki’s face.  Frigga walked forward pulling Clint by the hand along with her.

“Loki, there’s no need to be fearful.  Clint has come here to talk with you.  I have just spent the better part of the afternoon with him and I would not have brought him here if I thought his intentions were ill-founded.”  Frigga said as she placed her hand on Loki’s check.  Clint saw him lean into the touch; touch-starved was the first thing that came to his mind.

“Now, I am going to leave you two boys alone so that you can talk.  I’ll be back later.  If you need anything, have one of the servants fetch me.”  Frigga said as she kissed both of them on the cheek and left the room.  Clint and Loki both followed her with their eyes as she left.  Clint turned back around to face Loki who looked at him with unease in his eyes.

“Your mom is pretty amazing.”  Clint said as he sat in the chair near the head of the bed.

“Yes, she is very much.”  Loki said in response.  His eyes moved down to the fur blanket that he was playing with between his fingers.

“I—God, I don’t know how to start this.”  Clint said as he shook his head.  He watched Loki’s fingers trail around the edge of his blanket.  “I don’t hate you.”  He finally said. 

Loki’s fingers stopped moving and he gradually raised his head to look at Clint.

“I don’t.”  Clint reiterated.  He started again.  “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what has happened and Thor has told us a little about what the healers here think has happened.”  Loki looked away from Clint and stared at the wall.  “And damn, Loki, it just made me realize that what I thought in the beginning was right.  When you took me, I was screaming inside.  A lot of it was because you took my will away.  But some of it was because I knew something was wrong with what was going on.  You looked like shit when you came through that portal.  I was screaming inside because we could have helped you.  I could have helped you.”  Clint pleaded.

“It wasn’t that easy.”  Loki said barely above a whisper.  He went back to playing with his blanket. 

“Be that as it may; what’s done is done.  We can only move forward in the present situation.” 

Loki gave an audible exhale as tension eased from his body at the fact that Clint was not going to press him to elaborate on his previous statement.

Silence fell over them for a bit.  “I guess what I came here to say is that maybe we should try to start again now that minds are clear and we have some time away from the situation.  A lot has happened since New York.  I don’t know what will happen between us; but I think I would like to get to know the real you.”

Loki looked into Clint’s face as if searching for any signs of falsehood.  He let out a shaky breath.  “I would like that very much.”  He said brokenly. 

Clint decided to take a risk, reaching over he closed his hand over one of Loki’s.  Loki grabbed it in response. 

“I uh…I kind of met your little girl.”  Clint tried to start a conversation.

“She would be horrified that you said she was a little girl.”  Loki said with a slight smile.

“I didn’t actually talk to her or anything but we were in the same area during a fight and we kind of made eye contact a few times.  I felt like she was sizing me up.  I don’t know if she knew who I am…or I should say what I am, but I felt like she was giving me the once over.”  Clint explained.

“She may have seen my soul mark before.  She might have put the pieces together if she has gathered any information about my time on your realm.”  Loki responded.

Clint intertwined their fingers together and began to rub a small circle on Loki’s hand with his thumb.  “She’s pretty impressive.  We were taking out a Hydra base when they came onto the scene.  I guess they had this one targeted and we just happened to be there.  Her soul mate is Cap’s friend.  Thor said that he told you the story of Bucky Barnes.”  Loki nodded and Clint continued.  “They are a pretty incredible team and I think she is helping him through some pretty heavily crap he’s been dealing with.  That Fandral guy came down to the Tower and said that your uncle said she is on his planet at some sort of festival.”

Loki smiled, “The Festival of Love and Fertility.” 

“Yeah that was it.  The guy was heading there after he left the Tower.  Thor wished the dude’s dick good luck or some kind of shit like that.”  Clint said.

That got a chuckle out of Loki.  Clint smiled when he heard the sound.

Clint decided to take another risk and got up out of the chair and sat on the edge of the bed facing Loki and bring their interlocked hands between them.  Loki shuffled over a bit to make room for him.   

“So when I came to really realize that Hela was your kid, I was wondering if you have any other kids.”  Clint inquired.

“I have one other, a son.”  Loki said.  “He is a bit different from Hela.”  He proceeded to tell Clint to story behind Sleipnir’s conception and birth. 

“Wow.  That’s….wow.”  Clint said.  “Can I—Can I meet him sometime?  It’s been a while since I have been around horses.  Today was the first time I have ridden once since I was like seventeen.” 

Loki’s unease that was on his face after telling Clint the story disappeared and was replaced with a genuine smile.  “Yes.  I think that he would like you.” 

“So what about Hela?  Is her mom in the picture?”  Clint asked.

Loki let out a long breath.

“Is this story a doozy too?”  Clint asked.

Loki nodded his head, looking down. 

“Hey.”  Clint said as he used the fingers of his other hand to tilt Loki’s chin up so he could look him in the eyes.  When Loki made eye contact, Clint rubbed his cheek with his thumb.  “I promise, you can tell me and I won’t judge you for it; not matter what it is.” 

Loki leaned into Clint touch and closed his eyes.  After a few moments Loki nodded his head, opened his eyes and began his story. 

“Several years after I had Sleipnir, I had gone to the Festival of Love and Fertility on Alfheim.  This festival lasts a week on Alfheim and it is filled with many rituals and rites.  It is immense fun.  Anyway, I was out of adolescence, but still young adult.  At one of the evening festivities I had met someone named Angrboda.  He was a Jotun, but had shape-shifted to look like one of the Vanir or Aesir.  We caught each other's eye and began a playful, flirtatious banter.  One thing led to another and we spent the night making love beside a moonlit lake.  It was my first time being intimate with another man.”  

 

“Well, this was a fertility festival in addition to a festival in addition to a festival of love.  Frey does offer a drought to stave off pregnancy, should one not wish to take advantage of the fertility part of the festival.  Men generally do not consume the drought; but they can, which will prevent impregnation.  We don't know exactly how or why it happened; whether it was because Angrboda was Jotun or because as it turns out I am Jotun, as well; or the combination of this with the shape-shifting between the two of us; but I was found to be with child.  I had realized this before I had left Alfheim and told Frey.”

 

“Frey is the one who told the Allfather and my mother.  Odin was furious.  He threatened to terminate all the trade agreements and treaties with Alfheim.  My mother was able to soothe his temper and tension eased.  I stayed on Alfheim until Hela was born.  My mother stayed there with me; it was easily explained because Frey is her brother and a long-term visit would not have been unheard of.  When we returned from Alfheim, we had Hela in tow.”

 

“Now it is not unusual for attendee to have flings and trysts during the festival.  The interlude between me and Angrboda was meant to be a one-time only thing.  Neither one of us had any interest in continuing any relationship with the other.  Angrboda was not interested in the prospect of children and I was alright with him not being a part of our lives after that.  A couple years after Hela’s birth, he was killed in a skirmish on his realm.  My mother helped when Hela was small but she was careful so that I was the clear parent and she was merely helping as any mother would do for her child.  It has been just Hela and I for a while, now.” 

 

“Needless to say, Frey now creates a drought specifically for men to partake of before the festival begins to avoid any other potential treaty-destroying catastrophes.”

“That’s incredible.”  Clint told him.  About half way through the story; Clint began carding fingers through Loki’s hair.  He continued to do so when Loki was finished.

Loki nodded his head.  “I know that she was hurt by my actions; how I left Asgard.  I haven’t spoken to her since Thor was first banished.  She hasn’t been home for a while.  It’s my fault.”

“I know you blame yourself, but you have to figure, if she hadn’t left Asgard, she might not have been on Earth when she was to meet her soul mate.”  Clint told him.

“I know.  My mother also said as much.”  Loki replied and smiled at Clint. 

A healer entered the room and made her way over to Loki.  “My Prince, it is time for your next dosage of medication. 

Loki sat up a little straighter in the bed.  “Yes, I suppose it is.”

“This is the dosage that will make you drowsy.”  She said as she began to prep his arm for injection.

“Will you stay until I fall asleep?”  Loki asked Clint.

“Of course.  I’ll make sure that I see you again before I have to go back to Earth.  And I will come back to Asgard to see you again.” 

The healer injected the medicine into Loki’s arm and then healed the point of entry.  She cast a spell of peace over him.  Once she put the supplies away she left the two alone again. 

The medicine worked quickly and Loki’s eyes became heavy.  “Thank you for coming here and seeing me.”  He said in a tired voice. 

“I’m glad I came.”  Clint said as he stroked Loki’s cheek.  He did so for a few more minutes after Loki’s eye’s slid closed.  He got up from his spot on the bed and pulled the fur blanket up over Loki.  He leaned down and kissed Loki softly on the forehead before he left the room to seek out Frigga.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep the comments coming. They are what spur me on to keep writing about this unusual pairing that I am loving right now. I have a lot of this planned for this story. 
> 
> Thanks to all who have commented, subscribed, bookmarked and gave kudos.

**Author's Note:**

> Drop a comment and let me know what you think about this one. Please bookmark or subscribe to stay updated.
> 
>  
> 
> I just got a tumblr page... http://summerlovejls.tumblr.com


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